Harvard University on Friday named Alan Garber as its 31st president through the 2026-27 academic year, seven months after the previous president resigned amid controversy.
Garber became the university’s interim president earlier this year after previous president Claudine Gay resigned following a scandal involving anti-Semitism and plagiarism allegations on campus.
“Since assuming the role of interim president seven months ago, Alan has done an outstanding job leading Harvard through extraordinary challenges,” said Penny Pritzker, a senior fellow at the Harvard University Corporation. wrote in the statement Friday. “We asked him to assume the title of president, rather than interim president, to recognize his outstanding contributions to the university and to underscore our belief that this is a time that calls for active and committed leadership, not just stable stewardship.”
“Alan has provided leadership with deep concern for all in the Harvard community, a strong commitment to the University’s enduring ideals, and the utmost dedication to academic excellence,” Pritzker added.
Gay, who made history as the university’s first black president, also held the record for the shortest tenure as president in Harvard’s history. His tenure as president fell apart during the fall semester when campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza between Hamas and others drew national attention. Some students chanted anti-Semitic slogans, and students of color on campus also faced vitriol and bigotry.
The House Education Committee subpoenaed Gay in December to appear before it along with other university presidents, sparking further controversy when he gave no clear answer as to whether students calling for the genocide of Jews violated university code of conduct.
The same hearings also led to the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Liz McGill in December.
While Gay weathered the storm, conservative media outlets reported allegations that she had plagiarized some of her university papers and scholarship work, allegations she denied but eventually resigned on January 2nd.
Garber was named interim president of Harvard minutes after Gay resigned, and Pritzker told Harvard officials at the time that “the search for a president will begin at the appropriate time.”
Pritzker said in a statement Friday that extending Garber’s term gives his team the opportunity to “sustain and build momentum” on key priorities and initiatives.
“It will also provide us, as members of the Board of Trustees, with ample time to reflect, in consultation with our fellow members, on how best to approach the selection of a future president, including how to ensure strong input from both inside and outside Harvard,” she added.
Students, faculty, and alumni Everyone is criticizing According to the Crimson, Harvard University has denounced its “opaque” presidential selection process for failing to take into account different perspectives within the community.
Prior to assuming the role of provost, Garber served as Harvard’s longest-serving president, the second-senior position at the university.
