Harvard President Gay Resigns After Allegations of Antisemitism and Plagiarism
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – The president of Havard, one of America’s top universities, has resigned amid pressure over her perceived antisemitic behavior and plagiarism.
Claudine Gay, who became Harvard president in July, faced intense criticism after a December hearing in the U.S. Congress in which she and two other college presidents declined to state directly that calls for genocide against Jews “would violate university policy.”
Critics also focused on several instances of alleged plagiarism from her academic publications, saying she had lifted material from other scholars without crediting them.
In an open letter to the “Harvard Community,” she said, “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 claimed, “This is not a decision I came to easily.” Indeed, she added, “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.”
However, “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 added.
Gay, 53, resigned at a time of mounting tensions over anti-Israel protests at universities where slogans such as “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” could be heard.
Critics view the slogan as effectively calling for the destruction of Jews and Israel.
If you are interested in articles produced by Worthy News, please check out our FREE sydication service available to churches or online Christian ministries. To find out more, visit Worthy Plugins.