The rector of the University of harvardClaudine Gay, announced her resignation this Tuesday after being embroiled in controversy over her statements last month about anti-Semitism before the Congress of USA and for recent accusations of plagiarism in his academic work.
Gaythe first black rector of harvardwas subjected to scrutiny for its management of institutional communication around the war between Israel and Hamas and indicated in a letter that his decision to resign responds to consultations with the center’s governing body, which reiterated its support.
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The former rector alludes to “tensions and divisions” that have “weakened the bonds of trust and reciprocity” in the university community, to “doubts” about her commitment against hatred and her respect for academic rigor, and declares herself “scared.” by personal attacks “fueled by racial animus””.
In the session of Congress held on December 5, in a context of tension in universities due to the war in Gaza, Gay She was asked if calling the genocide of the Jews violated the rules of the educational institution, to which she responded that “it depended on the context,” which generated controversy.
Other rector present at that session, that of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, Liz Magilland who responded to aggressive questioning from lawmakers in terms similar to Gay’s, resigned from his position four days later.
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Recently, the former rector has been accused of plagiarism in her academic workand on Monday it was the subject of a complaint to the university that demands an investigation because the examples of material not properly cited would rise to fifty, according to the newspaper The Washington Free Beacon.
In December, Harvard’s governing body said its review of Gay’s work revealed examples of “inappropriate citation” but did not consider them to be research misconduct.and the former rector herself requested corrections to two documents and is updating a dissertation to alleviate it, as indicated.
The body, in a letter, today regretted the resignation of Gay and explained that in view of the “escalation of controversy and conflict” in the harvardwhich extend to the field of “higher education”, the leadership has sought to defend “the best interest of the institution.”
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”(We accept the resignation) with pain. Although President Gay has acknowledged mistakes and taken responsibility for them, it is also true that she has shown remarkable resilience in the face of sustained, deeply personal attacks.”, he explained, while condemning the “disgusting and sometimes racist insults” that you have received.
Gay, political scientist, closes the shortest term in the history of the university after being appointed rector last July and will return as a professor; She will be temporarily replaced in the position by Alan Garber, an economist and doctor who until now was academic head, the organization indicated.
