Claudine Gay, Harvard’s First Black President, Resigns Amid Backlash Over Alleged Plagiarism And Antisemitism
Dr. Claudine Gay resigned from her role as Harvard’s President on Tuesday (Jan. 2) following allegations of plagiarism and backlash that stemmed from antisemitism-related comments. She’s the second Ivy League president to resign in the past month.
Gay served as Harvard’s first Black president for only a few months before announcing her departure in a letter.
“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,” she began. “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.”
She expressed that it’s 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.”
Gay’s academic career came under scrutiny by conservatives who claimed she plagiarized her 1997 doctoral dissertation. The Harvard Corporation stated that they uncovered “a few instances of inadequate citation” in her work, as well as two instances of “duplicative language without appropriate attribution.” Gay is set to update her dissertation.
The board also expressed that her resignation came “with great sadness,” but later thanked her for her “deep and unwavering commitment to Harvard and to the pursuit of academic excellence.”
Rev. Al Sharpton was one of many who came to Gay’s defense, saying in a statement that her resignation is “an attack on every Black woman in this country who’s put a crack in the glass ceiling” and an “assault on the health, strength, and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Gay confirmed that she will be returning to Harvard as faculty. Alan M. Garber, their provost and chief academic officer, will serve as interim president until a replacement is found.
More from VIBE.com
Solve the daily Crossword
