Harvard President Claudine Gay announced her resignation amid severe plagiarism allegations and after accusations that she is antisemitic. 

In a letter to the Harvard community, Gay stated, “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… I believe we have within us all that we need to heal from this period of tension and division and to emerge stronger.”

In her resignation letter, Claudine Gay, disgraced former President of Harvard, blamed racism for her resignation. I would expect nothing less from a diversity hire. DEI is poison. It must be eradicated from our institutions. pic.twitter.com/JmdsNbnHLm

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 2, 2024

Reacting to the resignation, House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik called Gay an “antisemitic plagiarist president,” highlighting the controversy surrounding Gay’s congressional testimony. Stefanik expressed satisfaction with Gay’s resignation, stating, “The resignation of Harvard’s antisemitic plagiarist president is long overdue.”

This is Claudine Gay's resignation letter. Rather than take responsibility for minimizing antisemitism, committing serial plagiarism, intimidating the free press, and damaging the institution, she calls her critics racist. This is the poison of DEI ideology. Glad she's gone. pic.twitter.com/WlqMKLn6pA

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) January 2, 2024

The resignation marks the end of the shortest Harvard presidency in the university’s history. Dr. Alan Garber, Harvard’s provost, is expected to become the interim president, according to sources. The controversy also involved allegations of plagiarism in Gay’s scholarly works, leading to widespread calls for her removal. Despite an apology and board support, Gay faced criticism for her handling of antisemitism issues during a congressional hearing.

Gay acknowledged the challenges faced during her presidency, stating, “These last weeks have helped make clear the work we need to do to build that future—to combat bias and hate in all its forms.” Charlie Covit, a Harvard University Jewish student leader, emphasized the importance of addressing antisemitism on campus, saying, “The next president must address the concerns of the Jewish community on day one.”