Harvard University’s board of directors retains president despite anti-Semitism and plagiarism controversy
Faculty and donors, “The closedness of the secret board of directors is questionable.”
While anti-Semitism is rampant at prestigious American universities due to the war between Israel and Hamas, controversy is rising over the opacity of the board of directors that supports Harvard University President Claudine Gay, who has been criticized for not taking appropriate measures.
On the 24th (local time), the New York Times (NYT) reported that despite strong public opinion within Harvard University demanding the dismissal of President Gay, the board of directors has remained silent.
Gay, the first black president of Harvard University, appeared at a House hearing on the 5th and caused controversy by mentioning freedom of expression regarding the alleged massacre of some Jews on campus. Former University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill, who attended the same hearing that day, resigned on the 9th due to controversy over anti-Semitism.
Accordingly, the Harvard University Board of Trustees issued a unanimous statement on the 12th that it would retain President Gay. A secret board of trustees, also known as the ‘Harvard Corporation’, has run Harvard University for centuries, with minimal information disclosed, dating back to the 17th century.
In 2010, the number of board members increased from 7 to 13, and 12 people currently serve on the board. Considering that the board of directors of other private universities has around 30 members, this is a very small size.
They are responsible for the university’s financial health and major decisions, and they also elect the president. The specific method of selecting members is unknown. The NYT analyzed that the predecessor appears to be directly recommending the successor.
In December 2022, Dr. Gay was appointed president. However, it is not known who on the board of directors reviewed the research that was recently embroiled in plagiarism controversy.
The NYT reported that “criticism is rising over the change in board members,” and that faculty and donors are raising questions about the board’s closedness.
In response to this, Harvard University professor Avi Loeb said, “Harvard University does not provide proper criticism,” and added, “They do not want to talk to people who have different opinions from them.”
After the hearing, President Gay stated in the school newspaper that “we will take action against threats against Jewish students.”
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 25th, several faculty members at Harvard University said that Harvard University suffered the greatest damage ever. This year, the number of applicants for Harvard University’s early admissions process decreased by 17% compared to the previous year.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.