Claudine Gay to remain president of Harvard
The board cited Harvard’s commitment to 'open discourse and academic freedom.'
Harvard University president Claudine Gay will remain in office after testifying before Congress that the acceptability of “calling for the genocide of Jews” on campus “depends on the context.”
The Harvard Corporation reportedly made the call during a Monday meeting and announced the decision Tuesday morning via a statement of support for Gay. The board cited Harvard’s commitment to “open discourse and academic freedom” and asserted that “calls for violence against our students and disruptions of the classroom experience will not be tolerated.”
”As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University,” reads the statement. “Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.”
”So many people have suffered tremendous damage and pain because of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack, and the University’s initial statement should have been an immediate, direct, and unequivocal condemnation,” it continues. “Calls for genocide are despicable and contrary to fundamental human values. President Gay has apologized for how she handled her congressional testimony and has committed to redoubling the University’s fight against antisemitism.”
Gay gave the following answers when asked before congress whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” violates Harvard’s policy:
- “It can be, depending on the context.”
- When asked what context would be necessary for a rule violation, Gay answered that the call for genocide must be “targeted at an individual.”
- “Anti-Semitic rhetoric, when it crosses into conduct, it amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation. That is actionable conduct, and we do take action.”
- “Again, it depends on the context.”
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth made similar statements. Penn announced Magill’s resignation Saturday.
This story is developing.