Harvard President Claudine Gay RESIGNS
Harvard President Claudine Gray resigned on Tuesday, making her the shortest presidency in Harvard’s history.
Gray’s resignation comes after growing allegations she committed plagiarism.
Gray’s resignation also came after her disastrous congressional testimony on December 5th, where she was unable to address the ongoing attack against Jewish students on Harvard’s campus.
Gray wrote in her resignation, “It has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.”
SCAPLED: Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns. pic.twitter.com/Pnh0Gth0AS
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) January 2, 2024
Here’s what Harvard reported:
Harvard President Claudine Gay will resign Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to the shortest presidency in the University’s history, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.
It is not clear who will be appointed to serve as interim president.
University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain declined to comment on Gay’s decision to step down.
Gay’s resignation — just six months and two days into the presidency — comes amid growing allegations of plagiarism and lasting doubts over her ability to respond to antisemitism on campus after her disastrous congressional testimony Dec. 5.
Gay weathered scandal after scandal over her brief tenure, facing national backlash for her administration’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and allegations of plagiarism in her scholarly work.
The Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — is expected to announce the resignation to Harvard affiliates in an email later today. Gay is also expected to make a statement about the decision.
The announcement comes three weeks after the Corporation announced unanimous support for Gay after “extensive deliberations” following the congressional hearing.
🚨BREAKING: Claudine Gay will be resigning this afternoon as the president of Harvard after allegations of plagiarism and her disastrous testimony before Congress.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 2, 2024
It's the shortest tenure in the history of the university.https://t.co/nniKRCe5VN
Per Axios:
Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday weeks after she appeared before Congress in a disastrous hearing on antisemitism.
Why it matters: Gay, a political scientist and Harvard’s first Black president, came under scrutiny for her testimony, as well as allegations of plagiarism in her published work. She will have the shortest tenure in school history.
“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 in a letter to the campus community.
She said she will return to Harvard’s faculty.
“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.”The Harvard Crimson was first to report the news. The New York Times on Tuesday also reported on expanded allegations of plagiarism against Gay.