Embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay announced her resignation on Tuesday.
“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,” Gay said in a statement Tuesday.
“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,” she said.
“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 said.
Gay’s departure marks the briefest tenure in the history of the Ivy League university, with only six months and two days served in her position.
Gay’s presidency faced challenges culminating in criticism from a recent congressional hearing and an ongoing plagiarism scandal. During the House hearing, she refused to answer repeated inquiries from Republican New York Representative Elise Stefanik regarding whether measures would be implemented to address antisemitism on the campus.
Furthermore, Gay encountered accusations of plagiarism, with claims suggesting more than 40 instances of copied content in her publications and dissertation.
In response to Gay’s resignation, Alan M. Garber, the current provost and chief academic officer at Harvard, will serve as interim president until a permanent successor is found, as announced by the Harvard Corporation in a letter on Tuesday. The Corporation stated that the search for a new president will commence in due course, without specifying an exact timeline.
#BREAKINGNEWS HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY RESIGNS, SHORTEST TENURE IN UNIVERSITY HISTORY@HaidarEmma & @cam_kettles report.https://t.co/LjDRMswc0k
— The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) January 2, 2024
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