The president of Harvard University resigns after accusations of anti-Semitism and plagiarism

Claudine Guy has resigned as president of Harvard University, the prestigious American university in Massachusetts. She did so after weeks of controversy over student protests that rocked her university, after her speech at a congressional hearing did not convince critics, and despite a vote by the university's board of governors that unanimously defended her. “It was scary to be subjected to personal attacks and racially fueled threats,” she wrote in the article. letter The resignation of Jay, who was the first black woman to serve as president of Harvard University. His term began in July 2023, just six months ago. “I write with a heavy heart but with a deep love for the university,” she begins, announcing her decision, which came after consultation with members of the Board of Trustees. “My deep connection to Harvard and its people makes it all the more painful to see the tensions and divisions that have torn our community apart in recent months, weakening the bonds of trust and reciprocity that should be our strength and support in this era. The statement continues, “In all of this, it has been sad to see my commitments to addressing hate and upholding academic rigor called into question, and frightening to have been the subject of racism-fueled personal attacks and threats.” Jay explains that he made this decision to restore calm to the university, so that “the community can meet this moment of extraordinary challenge by focusing on the institution rather than on a particular individual.” The academic had refused in Congress to publicly condemn the student demonstrations, after requests from about seventy representatives, most of whom were Republicans. Among the accusations leveled against him in recent weeks are accusations of plagiarism because he copied material in his academic publications without giving the sources the necessary credit. In early December, after a congressional hearing on reasons similar to those given by Gay, Liz Magill, the 57-year-old president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned.

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