Academia in Crisis: The Ousting of Harvard’s President
Reported By: Benny Schorie
Illustrated By: Addie Patterson
Since its foundation in 1663, the gilded halls of Harvard University have nurtured American political leaders, academics, and millionaires. As a part of the notorious “Ivy League,” its prestige depends upon its legacy of keeping out women, racial minorities, and the poor; this dedication to exclusivity has been difficult to uphold and defend in the 21st century. Its recent instability, which led to the resignation of its first black president, Claudine Gay, exemplifies the continuing problematic nature of elite higher education.
It all began in a congressional hearing on Dec. 5, led by House Republicans. As a part of their investigation into antisemitism and Islamophobia on college campuses, the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania (U Penn), Harvard, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) each gave testimonies about responding to antisemitism on their campuses since the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The controversies came from student backlash to the permittance of pro-Palestinian protests on these campuses; many Jewish students felt unsafe and threatened by the protestors' slogans and pointed out the lack of institutional support. The presidents each gave vague testimonies about combating antisemitism while maintaining the right to free speech. Massive public outcry ensued, leading to the resignation of U Penn’s president, Liz Magill.
Harvard President Gay received similar backlash but remained in office with the support of the university’s board. They assigned her the creation of task forces to address antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus, but before she could present her plans, allegations of plagiarism in her writing came out of the woodwork. Gay stood by the credibility of her work but promised to revise it, and the Harvard board supported her. The substance of those allegations continues to be debated.
The board’s support of Gay waned over the next few weeks. According to a New York Times article, board members were bombarded by the concerns and opinions of their wealthy circles during the holidays. The deluge of criticism also came with a share of racist messages and death threats targeting Gay. The combined media frenzy and plagiarism allegations wore out the board’s support; President Gay was asked to resign on Dec. 27, and her resignation was announced on Jan. 2.
This series of events displays the difficulty experienced by minorities in higher academia. Harvard and its fellow Ivy League institutions were made for elite, white men. Its board consists of the former chief executive of American Express, an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, and an heir to the Tootsie Roll fortune; according to the most recent data, 67% of its students come from the top 20%.
While student bodies have gotten more diverse, faculty bodies have not. In fall 2021, 73% of full-time faculty were white and only 6% were black in the US. Black faculty are less likely to receive tenure, an indefinite appointment designed to give professors job security and academic freedom. Studies have shown better student outcomes and graduation rates at higher education institutions that have higher rates of faculty diversity. Minority students feel better represented, and students in the racial majority benefit from broader faculty perspectives.
The current Ivy League fiasco proves these institutions need to be equipped to protect students and faculty of color. Their wishy-washy political speech policies intentionally walk a line to allow students freedom of expression without deterring the educational processes of others. However, without the proper diversity, equity, and inclusion resources, minority students are left unsupported. Furthermore, the elite boards of trustees lack the perspective to see their discrimination toward faculty of color, specifically how they are held to impossible standards, robbed of opportunity, and scrutinized to a higher degree. Nothing portrays this like the brief yet tumultuous tenure of Claudine Gay and her abrupt ousting.