Investor Ackman backs bid by dissidents for Harvard board seats

The development represents a new challenge to the board, whose 30 members are typically nominated by the university's alumni association. Ackman's endorsement of the four write-in board candidates echoes his playbook as an activist shareholder, pursuing board seats at companies to push for changes. The board is the school's second-highest governing body, with the power to approve or reject the hiring of Harvard's president. Each year, five seats on the board are up for election.