Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns amid plagiarism and antisemitism scandals

Policy

The political science professor and first black chief executive of Harvard has faced accusations in recent months of plagiarism unearthed in roughly half of her seventeen scholarly works.

The political science scholar, whose six-month tenure marks the shortest of any other leader in the four centuries of the elite school, will work as a member of Harvard faculty. File Image.

Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned from the elite school on Tuesday amid plagiarism allegations and controversy over her response to campus antisemitism.

Gay drew backlash alongside University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth from both Democratic and Republican leaders after a hearing in which none clearly condemned “calling for the genocide of Jews” as bullying and harassment under the codes of conduct at their institutions. The political science professor and first black chief executive of Harvard has since faced accusations of plagiarism unearthed in roughly half of her seventeen scholarly works.

Gay said in a statement that she decided to resign after discussions with the Harvard Corporation, which had previously announced that an investigation of her work yielded some instances of “inadequate citation” but found “no violation” of Harvard standards of misconduct.

“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,” Gay commented. “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 drew criticism for saying in the statement that she has been subject to “personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.” Prominent alumni such as hedge fund executive Bill Ackman have contended that Gay was hired for diversity purposes after the Harvard search committee refused to consider candidates who did not meet certain demographic criteria.

The political science scholar, whose six-month tenure marks the shortest of any other leader in the nearly four centuries of the elite school, will return to work as a member of Harvard faculty.

Republican lawmakers had vowed after the hearing to launch an official investigation with “full force of subpoena power” into the disciplinary procedures at the three elite schools. Magill resigned four days after the hearing while Kornbluth continues to serve in her role.