Because these people write big endowment cheques to the university, whereas faculty and students are just blood-sucking overhead.

This is interesting to watch, in sad sort of way: the universities were generally fine with protests and activism as long as it didn't cost them anything or threaten their donors' ego. LGBTQ or race issues? Fine, that's okay, no threat there, heck painting things rainbow and waving flags makes us feel good! Offend some rich donors and out comes the proverbial--if not literal--nightsticks.

I still remember being at UofT in 1995 and the only protests (on campus, not those directed at Harris) were when the administration got uppity that bands and student groups were making it hard to hear the TD Bank pavilion's marketing spiel as they tried to hook students on 25% credit cards. Normal drunken debauchery-slash-activism was fine, but don't dare get in the way of profits!