Harvard University President Claudine Gay has resigned after weeks of controversy over plagiarism allegations and possible anti-Semitism on campus.
Gay made national headlines and was widely criticized for giving ambiguous answers during a hearing to repeated questions about whether calls for genocide against Jews on campus violated Harvard's rules against bullying and harassment. was exposed to criticism. After her testimony to Congress, Gay apologized, and despite widespread calls for her removal from donors and lawmakers, the university's board ultimately decided to support her. .
But since then, she has become embroiled in an entirely different scandal in which she has been accused of plagiarizing academic works.
Tuesday afternoon, gay sent a letter She cited both the scandal and “racial hostility” as factors that influenced her decision to step down, adding, “I am committed to confronting hatred and academic rigor, two foundational aspects of who I am.” It is extremely distressing to have my commitment to upholding fundamental values called into question,” and to be subject to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial hostility is frightening. ”
Chris Rufo reacts to Harvard University president's resignation, saying he's glad she's gone
Dr. Claudine Gay, president of Harvard University, Liz McGill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Pamela Nadel, professor of history and Jewish studies at American University, and Dr. Sally Kornbluth, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will testify. House Education and Workforce Committee meeting on December 5, 2023, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. ((Photo credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images))
Some commentators welcomed Mr. Gay's departure from Harvard's leadership or warned that there was still much work to do to rebuild the academic community.
Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, suggested that Harvard is at a major turning point in his long post.
“If Harvard University appoints another candidate as permanent president without sufficient scholarship, intellectual ability, recognized teaching, and administrative excellence on the basis of the DEI, the university will “It will only strengthen the now growing consensus that even the US has abandoned 'meritocracy,'” he wrote in part. “Therefore, the agency will continue on its current Target/Disney/Bud Light trajectory.”
“It's absolutely ridiculous that she was allowed to resign. She should have been fired weeks ago, but the fact that she didn't is because Harvard is going all in on this racist DEI madness. “If she's gone, they'll elect someone with the exact same ideology,” said Sean Davis, CEO and co-founder of The Federalist. writing.
“Then it took enough time[] According to Congressional testimony, Claudine Gay will resign as president of Harvard University. Please note that even with her plagiarism accusations, she will return to her teaching position as a faculty member,” FOX Business' Kelly O'Grady wrote.
Greg Price, communications director for the state Freedom Caucus, apparently joked that Gay would plagiarize former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's words to comfort his supporters.
“After resigning from Harvard, Claudine Gay retired to an office where her friends and advisors waited,” he wrote. “They were all in tears because of the events of the day, but Gay gave a moving speech, saying, “Don't worry, everyone. We have nothing to fear except fear itself.'' said.”
(Harvard University/Screenshot)
Harvard University President Claudine Gay faces further plagiarism charges
Other celebrities also lamented her resignation, saying it was a sign of racism rather than poor performance or numerous plagiarism allegations.
“Racist mobs will not stop until all black people who do not reinforce structures of racism are removed from positions of power and influence. It should be obvious to any reporter who cares about truth and justice, not conflict.'' Ibram X. I wrote in an X post that was slammed in a community note pointing out a New York Times article about plagiarism.
In the same thread, the director of BU's Center for Anti-Racism Research went on to say, “Too many mainstream reporters join racist groups, as they did in this case a century ago. Too often we give credence to it.”
1619 Project creator Nicole Hannah-Jones responded to the resignations by writing, “They got what they wanted from a well thought out plan.”
“Let's be real,” she wrote in a post later that day. “This is an extension of what happened to me at UNC and a glimpse of the future to come. Academic freedom is under attack. Racial justice programs are under attack. Black women will pay a price. All too often, real courage is lacking. ”
1619 Project founder Nicole Hannah-Jones denounces attack on Harvard University president: “How does racism work?''
NPR TV critic and media analyst Eric Deggans said, “Intimidation is the point. Will Harvard's next president support diversity? Will she be a woman? Will she be black?” If they don't, they've been forced to take a few steps back. And everyone in the school gets the message.”
“The attacks on Claudine Gay are relentless and expose bigotry,” wrote Janai Nelson, president, director, and general counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. “Her resignation, following that of Liz McGill, sets a dangerous precedent in the academy of political witch-hunts, a project whose purpose is not to stop hate, but to fuel it through vicious deletions. This won't protect anyone.”
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Fox's Danielle Wallace and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
