Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns

By COLlive reporter

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 Harvard Crimson reported.

University Provost Alan M. Garber ’76 will serve as Harvard’s interim president during a search for Gay’s permanent successor, the Harvard Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — announced in an email on Tuesday.

Gay’s resignation — just six months and two days into the presidency — comes amid growing allegations of plagiarism and lasting doubts over her ability to respond to antisemitism on campus after her disastrous congressional testimony on Dec. 5. She has been heavily criticized for refusing to tell the congressional hearing that calling for the genocide of Jews was against Harvard policy.

Gay is expected to announce her decision to step down to Harvard affiliates in an email later today. The Corporation is also expected to make a statement about the decision.

The announcement comes three weeks after the Corporation announced unanimous support for Gay after “extensive deliberations” following the congressional hearing.

On Chanukah, Gay attended a Menorah lighting ceremony at Harvard, where Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi of Harvard Chabad delivered a passionate speech criticizing the university’s stance on antisemitism.

Speaking in front of President Gay, Rabbi Zarchi emphasized the difficulties faced by Jewish students, citing a climate of fear and security concerns, especially after hosting a footage screening of the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel that drew criticism.

Rabbi Zarchi disclosed a disheartening fact at the event: Harvard’s demand that he remove the menorah at night due to fears of vandalism, despite its religious and historical significance.

“You know what happens to the menorah? After everyone leaves the Yard, we’re gonna pack it up. We have to hide it somewhere,” Rabbi Zarchi said. Harvard “would not allow us to leave the menorah here overnight, because there’s fear that it’ll be vandalized.”

This removal symbolized a lack of acceptance or safety for Jewish symbols on campus. He called for a transformative shift, advocating for a campus where such symbols can be openly displayed without fear of reprisal.