Students Protest Disney Executive’s Fund-Raising Role

Students at Ithaca College are protesting the choice of the Walt Disney Company’s chief executive officer as the honorary chairman of their institution’s $115-million fund-raising drive, reports The New York Times.

During an appearance on campus last week, Robert A. Iger, who graduated from the college in 1973, drew criticism from a few dozen students for his company’s labor record and alleged political biases. The students handed out pamphlets and said in the article that accepting support from someone associated with Disney would send the wrong message.

Mr. Iger has donated money to Ithaca in the past, but neither the college nor he specified how much.

Peggy R. Williams, president of Ithaca, noted that the Disney corporation itself did not donate any money to the capital campaign, which has raised over $96-million toward its goal.

A Disney spokeswoman dismissed the criticisms of Mr. Iger and the company.

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