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Podcast: The Smerconish Podcast
Episode: Bari Weiss, Jeff Yass, and the Rise of a New ‘Fearless’ University
Description: Billionaire trader and philanthropist Jeff Yass joins Michael to discuss his $100 million donation to the University of Austin, a new institution co-founded by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss that promises “the fearless pursuit of truth.” Yass explains why he believes higher education is broken, how government involvement has inflated costs, and why this new school refuses federal funding altogether. He outlines a radical model — no tuition, no federal money, and full accountability to students’ success — arguing that universities should be judged not by prestige, but by the impact of their graduates. An eye-opening conversation about money, ideology, and the future of learnin...