Harvard Faculty Members Urge University to Resist Calls to Remove President Claudine Gay in Light of Antisemitism Increase

Harvard University faculty members have signed a letter urging administrators to resist calls to remove the school’s president, Claudine Gay, in the wake of her testimony at a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents nationwide between October 7 and December 7, with 2,031 incidents recorded during this two-month period, compared to 465 incidents during the same period in 2022.

The letter, signed by more than 700 faculty members, expresses support for Gay and defends the university’s commitment to academic freedom. It states, “We, the undersigned faculty, 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.”

The ADL’s report shows a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents across the United States since the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which sparked a brutal war in the Gaza Strip. The report also highlights the need for universities to remain committed to protecting academic freedom and defending a culture of free inquiry in diverse communities.

Harvard University has yet to respond to the letter, but the faculty members who signed it are hopeful that their message will be heard and that the university will stand firm in its commitment to academic freedom. The signatories believe that the university must resist any external pressures that would undermine its core values.