The shortest presidential term in Harvard University history has ended.
Claudine Gay, the first Black person and second woman in the institution’s 386-year history to serve in the position, resigned as the school’s president on Jan. 2 amid a growing plagiarism scandal. Gay has served as president since July 2023, the shortest term in the school’s history..
“This is not a decision I came to easily,” Gay wrote in an official statement, posted on social media by Axios reporter Andrew Solender. “But, after consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.”
Harvard President Claudine Gay makes her resignation official.
“it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.” pic.twitter.com/727hgUGUjT
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) January 2, 2024
Gay became that “individual” with the “focus” on them after being hit with six new charges of plagiarism on Jan. 2. She was previously accused of plagiarism more than 40 times, which brings the total count to near 50.
In 2001, Gay allegedly copied nearly half a page of a political scientist’s work. Her article, “The Effect of Minority Districts and Minority Representation on Political Participation in California” contained many of the exact same words verbatim as multiple paragraphs of David Canon’s 1999 book, Race Redistricting and Representation: The Unintended Consequences of Black Majority Districts. Despite the similarities, Gay didn’t use quotation marks, and her article included only minor edits. She didn’t cite Canon in the passage, but his name did appear in the bibliography, the New York Post reported.
Alan M. Garber, Harvard’s provost and chief academic officer, will serve as the school’s interim president.
