The President of Harvard University, Claudine Gay, has officially resigned, as reported by the university’s student newspaper on Tuesday.
Her decision to step down comes in the wake of growing criticism surrounding allegations of plagiarism and her handling of issues related to anti-Semitism within the university.
Recent scrutiny focused on claims that Gay failed to properly attribute scholarly sources in her academic work, raising concerns about the integrity of her contributions.
Gay’s presidency at Harvard has become the shortest in the university’s extensive history.
On Tuesday, new accusations, published anonymously in a conservative online publication, added to the controversy surrounding Gay.
The Harvard president faced significant backlash after her recent testimony before Congress, alongside the leaders of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania. During the hearing, she refrained from definitively stating whether advocating for the genocide of Jews would violate Harvard’s code of conduct, leading to controversy and public criticism.
While Gay received support from Harvard’s governing body, the Harvard Corporation, following her congressional appearance, she faced reproach for her response to the October 7 attack in Israel during the Gaza conflict. This dissatisfaction within the university community fueled calls for her resignation, with over 70 lawmakers, including two Democrats, urging her departure. Prominent Harvard alumni and donors also joined in advocating for her resignation.
However, amidst the turmoil, more than 700 Harvard faculty members expressed their support for Gay by signing a letter.
Harvard University has not issued an immediate comment on the matter.
Gay, 53, born in New York to Haitian immigrants, serves as a political science professor. In July, she made history by becoming the first Black president of Harvard University, which was established 368 years ago in Cambridge, outside Boston.