More than 500 Harvard faculty signed a letter in support of its president, Claudine Gay, despite intense blowback and calls for her firing after she failed to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews.
The 511 faculty members signed a letter Sunday to the Harvard Corporation urging the university to allow Gay to remain at her post — as billboard trucks circled the campus with signs reading “Fire Gay.”
The support came as a statement is expected to be made about Gay’s future, just days after University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill lost her job over similar testimony failing to condemn antisemitism, the Harvard Crimson said.
Despite the outrage, the faculty members said they “urge you in the strongest possible terms to defend the independence of the university and to resist political pressures that are at odds with Harvard’s commitment to academic freedom, including calls for the removal of President Claudine Gay.”
More than 500 Harvard faculty signed a letter Sunday in support of embattled university president Claudine Gay. AP“The critical work of defending a culture of free inquiry in our diverse community cannot proceed if we let its shape be dictated by outside forces,” they added in the letter obtained by the student paper.
The Ivy League leader has faced intense scrutiny after she failed to explicitly say that calling for the genocide of Jews would break school bullying and harassment codes while testifying in a congressional hearing on antisemitism on Tuesday.
History professor Derek J. Penslar said faculty have a wide range of views on Gay’s testimony and leadership — but felt that her firing should not be influenced by politicians and other outsiders.
Billboard trucks calling for Gay’s firing circled Harvard’s campus on Sunday. X / @AccuracyInMedia“I don’t think that signing this letter is an exoneration of the University for its handling of issues involving antisemitism and Islamophobia over the last couple of months,” Penslar said.
In response to the backlash over her testimony, Gay apologized for her remarks.
“I am sorry. Words matter,” Gay said during an interview with the Harvard Crimson on Thursday.
Supporters of the Palestinians gather at Harvard. AFP via Getty Images
Harvard faculty allegedly have a wide range of views on Gay’s testimony and leadership — but some feel that her firing should not be influenced by politicians and other outsiders. Getty Images“When words amplify distress and pain, I don’t know how you could feel anything but regret,” she added.
The Post has reached out to Harvard for comment.
