Harvard president resigns amid antisemitism controversy and plagiarism claims

Cambridge, Massachusetts - The president of Harvard University will resign Tuesday, the prestigious school's student newspaper reported, after she faced criticism over allegations of plagiarism and her handling of antisemitism on campus.

Harvard University President Claudine Gay will resign from the position amid controversy over her Congressional testimony.
Harvard University President Claudine Gay will resign from the position amid controversy over her Congressional testimony.  © Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Claudine Gay was criticized in recent months after reports surfaced alleging that she did not properly cite scholarly sources in her academic work.

The most recent accusations came Tuesday, published anonymously in a conservative online outlet.

Gay was also engulfed by scandal after she declined to say unequivocally whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated Harvard's code of conduct during testimony to Congress alongside the heads of MIT and the University of Pennsylvania last month.

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The university's governing Harvard Corporation backed her after her appearance before Congress but did criticize her response to the October 7 attack in Israel as the campus community reacted to the war in Gaza.

More than 70 lawmakers, including two Democrats, called for her resignation, while a number of high-profile Harvard alumni and donors had called for her departure.

Still, more than 700 Harvard faculty members had signed a letter supporting Gay.

Claudine Gay faced backlash over Congressional testimony

"Harvard President Claudine Gay will resign Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to the shortest presidency in the University's history, according to a person with knowledge of the decision," the student-run Harvard Crimson reported.

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gay (53) was born in New York to Haitian immigrants and is a professor of political science who, in July, became the first Black president of 368-year-old Harvard University in Cambridge, outside Boston.

Cover photo: Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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