Hundreds of Harvard faculty members and alumni have extended support to university president Claudine Gay following her controversial last week House testimony about antisemitism on college campuses.
According to the BBC, the support comes amid calls for Gay's resignation. On Monday, a meeting undertaken by the 13 members of Harvard Corporation, discussed the situation and the future course of action. Over the weekend, over 500 faculty members of the university signed a petition stating Harvard to "resist the political pressures that are at odds with Harvard’s commitment to academic freedom, including the calls for removing the president Claudine Gay," reported BBC.
Meanwhile, over 70 members of Congress have been calling for her resignation. Most Republican lawmakers referred to the college president’s answers as ‘abhorrent’.
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According to Reuters, several Jewish students, families, and alumni of the university have alleged the university has not taken concrete action to address antisemitism.
The controversy around Dr Gay erupted after Republican representative Elise Stefanik asked if calling for the ‘genocide of Jews’ was free speech.
In response to the question, the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Penn said they “personally did not agree with the rhetoric used by that student” and were also “committed to preserving free speech on campus”, reported The Times of India.
Who is Dr Claudine Gay?
The 53-year-old is the first Black president and the second woman to helm Harvard University in its 368-year history. Dr Gay joined the university as a faculty in 2006. She then served as a professor of government and African and African-American studies. Later in 2018, Dr Gay became the dean of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
According to the New York Times report, Dr Gay is a supporter of diversity in hiring and is also an expert on minority representation and political participation in the government. She was selected for the post of university’s president from a pool of more than 600 nominations.
Senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation, Penny Pritzker, who led the presidential selection committee, praised Dr Gay at the time for her appointment and said that her “a rare blend of incisiveness and inclusiveness,” bringing both a “bedrock commitment to free inquiry and expression, as well as a deep appreciation for the diverse voices and views that are the lifeblood of a university community” reported NY Times.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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