Gillian Turner provides details reported by the Harvard Crimson. Following the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay, the CEO of a pro-Israel student-focused organization told Digital that the university must commit to remedying antisemitism and ridding the school of “cultural rot” when a new president is hired. Israel On Campus Coalition (ICC) CEO Jacob Baime emphasized the need for addressing the deeper cultural issues at Harvard, stating that many students and faculty at the university fail to see the problems with Hamas and its violent actions against Israelis.
The resignation of President Gay came amidst mounting allegations of plagiarism and her handling of antisemitism on campus since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7. She officially announced her resignation in a letter to the school’s community, acknowledging that the decision was not an easy one. Gay faced criticism after appearing before Congress alongside presidents from the University of Pennsylvania and MIT, where they were questioned about their handling of antisemitism on their respective campuses.
Aside from accusations of plagiarism, Gay also faced allegations of plagiarizing almost 20 authors in four of her academic papers. Charlie Covit, a Harvard student, expressed that while the plagiarism issue was serious, it should not overshadow the pressing issue of antisemitism on campus, which needs to be addressed by the next president.
Harvard announced that Provost Alan M. Garber will serve as interim president until a replacement for Gay is found. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights initiated an investigation into alleged antisemitism on Harvard’s campus in November, prompted by student protests and anti-Israel demonstrations since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Gay’s resignation marks the shortest tenure for a president at Harvard, having served only six months and two days.
During the congressional hearing, Gay faced questioning from Republican New York Representative Elise Stefanik, who inquired about whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated the school’s code of conduct. Gay responded that it could be considered violating the rules, depending on the context. Stefanik criticized Gay’s response, emphasizing that such calls for genocide should unequivocally violate the code of conduct.
Following the hearing, Gay issued an apology, acknowledging the importance of words and expressing regret for any distress and pain caused. However, critics called for her resignation, leading to billboard truck protests demanding her firing. Gay’s resignation follows the departure of Penn President Liz Magill, who also faced criticism for her handling of antisemitism.
Harvard’s response to Digital’s request for comment is currently unknown.
