Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns. Denies any Personal Responsibility for Harvard Anti-Semitism. Claims "Racial Animus" Lead to Her Resignation

The Harvard Crimson newspaper reports today that President Claudine Gay has resigned. This following controversy over her apparent plagiarism of academic appers, and a disastrous testimony before Elise Stefanik at the house of representatives last month, in which Gay said whteher or not calling for the genocide of Jews violates Harvard's student conduct policy "depends on the context."

"TWO DOWN," tweeted rep. Elise Stefanik, who’s questioning lead to the resignation. The president of UPENN has also resigned. "@Harvard knows that this long overdue forced resignation of the antisemitic plagiarist president is just the beginning of what will be the greatest scandal of any college or university in history.”

“Et tu, Sally?” tweeted hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, referring to MIT president Sally Kornbluth.

Bill Ackman, who has conducted a campaign to get rid of Gay, raised questions about not only Gay's testimony, but her qualifications to lead his alma mater, Harvard. Gay was mostly a creature of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. A now discredited philosophy, DEI says only discrimination in favor of African Americans, can make up for their lack of progress. The firing of Gay is more important for what it portends for DEI and CRT, than for what it means for Harvard.

The resignation is somewhat surprising, given that Harvard's 11 member board, of which Gay is a member, had repeatedly expressed support for Gay. 800 Harvard professors, about 1/4 of the faculty, had signed a letter saying Gay should not resign.

In her resignation, Gay cited how she had been subject to racism since the attacks, writing: “It has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.”

The resignation story was first reported in the Harvard Crimson, the student daily newspaper. https://x.com/thecrimson/status/1742243918190707047?s=20

In her resignation letter, Gay claimed that “Racial Animus” lead to her resignation. "This is Claudine Gay’s resignation letter. Rather than take responsibility for minimizing antisemitism, committing serial plagiarism, intimidating the free press, and damaging the institution, she calls her critics racist. This is the poison of DEI ideology. Glad she’s gone. pic.twitter.com/WlqMKLn6pA

Tweeted Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) January 2, 2024”

Gay was Harvard president for six months and 2 days, the shortest tenure of any Harvard president in the University’s 350 year history.

Her resignation letter, where she denies any responsibility for her situation and blames "racial animus" - as if she was condemned because she is black, is below.

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president. 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. 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.

It is a singular honor to be a member of this university, which has been my home and my inspiration for most of my professional career. My deep sense of connection to Harvard and its people has made it all the more painful to witness the tensions and divisions that have riven our community in recent months, weakening the bonds of trust and reciprocity that should be our sources of strength and support in times of crisis. Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.

I believe in the people of Harvard because I see in you the possibility and the promise of a better future. 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, to create a learning environment in which we respect each other’s dignity and treat one another with compassion, and to affirm our enduring commitment to open inquiry and free expression in the pursuit of truth. I believe we have within us all that we need to heal from this period of tension and division and to emerge stronger. I had hoped with all my heart to lead us on that journey, in partnership with all of you. As I now return to the faculty, and to the scholarship and teaching that are the lifeblood of what we do, I pledge to continue working alongside you to build the community we all deserve.

When I became president, I considered myself particularly blessed by the opportunity to serve people from around the world who saw in my presidency a vision of Harvard that affirmed their sense of belonging—their sense that Harvard welcomes people of talent and promise, from every background imaginable, to learn from and grow with one another. To all of you, please know that those doors remain open, and Harvard will be stronger and better because they do.

As we welcome a new year and a new semester, I hope we can all look forward to brighter days. Sad as I am to be sending this message, my hopes for Harvard remain undimmed. When my brief presidency is remembered, I hope it will be seen as a moment of reawakening to the importance of striving to find our common humanity—and of not allowing rancor and vituperation to undermine the vital process of education. I trust we will all find ways, in this time of intense challenge and controversy, to recommit ourselves to the excellence, the openness, and the independence that are crucial to what our university stands for—and to our capacity to serve the world.

Sincerely,

Claudine Gay