Harvard University President Claudine Gay has announced her resignation following allegations of plagiarism. Gay, who became the first Black person and second woman to serve as Harvard's president, held the position for just over six months. Alan Garber, Harvard's provost and chief academic officer, will serve as interim president while the search for a permanent replacement takes place.
In a statement, Gay expressed her love for Harvard but stated that it was in the best interests of the institution for her to step down. The decision comes after a new complaint was filed with Harvard, alleging six instances of plagiarism against Gay. The university and Gay's office have not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Gay's resignation comes in the wake of controversy surrounding her and then-University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill's congressional testimony on campus antisemitism. During a House committee hearing, Gay and Magill were criticized for their responses to questions about whether certain statements would violate their schools' codes of conduct. They were accused of not directly answering the questions and later issued statements acknowledging their failure to condemn such speech clearly.
Magill resigned on December 10, while Gay initially kept her position after receiving support from the Harvard Corporation. However, in light of the recent allegations and the ongoing controversy, Gay has now decided to resign.
Republican Representative Elise Stefanik, who had questioned Gay and Magill during the congressional hearing, responded to Gay's resignation on Twitter, stating that this was just the beginning of what she believed would be a significant scandal for Harvard.
As Harvard University moves forward, the search for a new president will be conducted by the Fellows of Harvard College. It remains to be seen how these recent developments will impact the institution and its ongoing commitment to academic excellence.