Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns, says was ‘subjected to threats fueled by racial animus’
Harvard President Claudine Gay has resigned from her post after facing months long uproar over her stand on antisemitism in the campus and plagiarism charges levelled against her. The resignation will make her tenure at Harvard shortest presidency in the University’s history. She claimed to have
FILE PHOTO: President of Harvard University and current Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Claudine Gay (REUTERS)
Claudine Gay resignation statement
“It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president. This is not a decision I came to easily,” Claudine wrote in a statement.
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“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.” she further stated.
Reflecting on the recent accusations of antisemitism faced by the university Claudine states, “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.”
She concludes by saying, “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.”
You can read the full statement here
Claudine was appointed Harvard President six months back. Gay’s departure as president is set against a backdrop of escalating accusations of plagiarism and persistent concerns about her handling of antisemitism issues on campus, particularly following her problematic testimony before Congress on December 5.
During her short time in office, Gay faced numerous controversies, including significant criticism for her administration’s handling of the attack on October 7 and charges of plagiarism in her academic publications.
The University’s primary governing committee, The Corporation, is expected to communicate Gay’s resignation to the Harvard community through an email later today. It is anticipated that Gay will also issue a statement regarding her resignation.
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