“Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing,” the board said.
Gay has faced intense criticism and calls for her removal from lawmakers and prominent donors in recent days after her Dec. 5 testimony before a House panel, during which she and two other university presidents would not say directly whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their university’s codes of conduct. Gay later apologized and clarified her remarks, saying that such calls “are vile, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account.”
Gay also has seen a surge of support in recent days. This week, faculty members and alumni signed letters requesting that she stay in Harvard’s top job and calling on university leaders to defend Harvard’s independence and resist political interference….