The president of Harvard, Claudine Gay, has resigned, bringing an end to the shortest presidency in the University’s history, reported news agency Reuters, citing the student newspaper the Harvard Crimson. University spokesperson Jonathan L Swain, however, declined to comment on Gay’s decision to step down.
It is not clear at the moment who will be appointed as the interim president.
Gay’s resignation comes after just six months and two days into the presidency amid allegations of plagiarism and wide criticism over her antisemitic speech calling for genocide amid Israel’s retaliation in Gaza for the 7 October Hamas attacks.
Gay and the presidents of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania landed in hot waters last month for their answers to a line of questioning from New York Rep Elise Stefanik, who asked whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate the colleges’ code of conduct.
The three presidents had been called before the Republican-led House Committee to answer accusations that universities were failing to protect Jewish students amid rising fears of antisemitism worldwide amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
University’s highest governing body, the Corporation is expected to announce the resignation to Harvard affiliates in an email later.
Comments
0 comment