Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns amid antisemitism, plagiarism controversies
Harvard president Claudine Gay announced her resignation Tuesday afternoon.
In a letter to members of the Harvard community, Gay said she was stepping down as president but will return to the Harvard faculty despite widespread plagiarism allegations against her.
“This is not a decision I came to easily. Indeed, it has been difficult beyond words because I have looked forward to working with so many of you to advance the commitment to academic excellence that has propelled this great university across centuries. But, after consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual,” Gay wrote.
The letter continued, “It is a singular honor to be a member of this university, which has been my home and my inspiration for most of my professional career. My deep sense of connection to Harvard and its people has made it all the more painful to witness the tensions and divisions that have riven our community in recent months, weakening the bonds of trust and reciprocity that should be our sources of strength and support in times of crisis. Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.”
“I believe in the people of Harvard because I see in you the possibility and the promise of a better future. These last weeks have helped make clear the work we need to do to build that future—to combat bias and hate in all its forms, to create a learning environment in which we respect each other’s dignity and treat one another with compassion, and to affirm our enduring commitment to open inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth,” Gay wrote. “I believe we have within us all that we need to heal from this period of tension and division and to emerge stronger. I had hoped with all my heart to lead us on that journey, in partnership with all of you. As I now return to the faculty, and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what we do, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build the community we all deserve.”
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According to the Ivy League school’s newspaper, the Harvard Crimson, Gay’s resignation will bring an end to the shortest Harvard presidency in the university’s history.
The Boston Globe has also reported about Gay’s expected resignation just before it was announced, citing sources saying Harvard’s provost, Dr. Alan Garber, will become interim president.
Gay, along with the presidents of MIT and UPenn, faced harsh backlash for failing to clarify at a House Education and the Workforce hearing last month whether calls for intifada or the genocide of Jews on campus violated their institutions’ codes of conduct or policies against bullying and harassment.
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Gay issued an apology and the university’s board ultimately decided to stick by her despite widespread calls from donors and members of Congress for her ouster.
The congressional hearing came in response to rising antisemitism at American universities following Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel.
Gay has also been at the center of a scandal in which she was accused of multiple instances of plagiarism in scholarly works.
“When I became president, I considered myself particularly blessed by the opportunity to serve people from around the world who saw in my presidency a vision of Harvard that affirmed their sense of belonging—their sense that Harvard welcomes people of talent and promise, from every background imaginable, to learn from and grow with one another,” Gay’s letter added Tuesday. “To all of you, please know that those doors remain open, and Harvard will be stronger and better because they do.”
The former Harvard president went on to say, “As we welcome a new year and a new semester, I hope we can all look forward to brighter days. Sad as I am to be sending this message, my hopes for Harvard remain undimmed. When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity—and of not allowing rancor and vituperation to undermine the vital process of education. I trust we will all find ways, in this time of intense challenge and controversy, to recommit ourselves to the excellence, the openness, and the independence that are crucial to what our university stands for—and to our capacity to serve the world.”
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