More than 500 faculty members at Harvard University signed an open letter to the Harvard Corporation urging the top governing body not to fire President Claudine Gay from her position following her comments on antisemitism during a hearing before Congress.
The Harvard Corporation and the Harvard Board of Overseers met for a scheduled meeting on Sunday as calls for Gay's resignation and criticism of her comments continue to grow. During testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee last week, Gay avoided questions from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) on whether calling for the "genocide of Jews" violates Harvard's code of conduct. Instead, she said she thought any reference to genocide was "abhorrent" and that speech that qualifies as harassment "depends on the context."
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Lawmakers and Harvard alumni have blasted Gay for her comments and demanded she resign or be removed from her post. University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned for similar comments at the congressional testimony. Both Magill and Gay issued apologies to their student bases, but Magill was the only president to resign following the hearing.
The Harvard Corporation is expected to decide whether to make a public statement in support of Gay, according to the Harvard Crimson. The letter began circulating on Sunday at 11 a.m., asking the governing body to defend Gay against what they believe are politically motivated attacks. The letter was sent to the Harvard Corporation at 8 p.m. on Sunday with 511 signatures, history professor Maya R. Jasanoff told the Harvard Crimson.
The faculty members wrote that 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."
"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," the faculty members added.
History professor Derek Penslar, who is a member of the group that unofficially organized the letter, said the faculty members who signed the letter all had various thoughts and views on Gay's testimony but were united in that decisions on university leadership should not be made by alumni or politicians.
"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," said Penslar, a professor specializing in Jewish history.
Jasanoff said the "sound bites" from the congressional hearing ignored an important discussion about free speech at Harvard.
"There is, as I've said, definitely room to explore the parameters and clarify the parameters of free speech, and free expression, and academic freedom, and so on on campuses," Jasanoff said. "I don't think that the people who were taking the lead in the congressional inquiries were doing so with good faith intentions."
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Harvard is already facing some consequences after it has been accused of allowing antisemitism in on-campus protests. Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer and his wife Batia stepped down from Harvard University's executive board in October after dozens of student groups signed a letter that said they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence" from Hamas.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has been one of the most vocal Republicans weighing in on calls for Gay's resignation. He said he is "pressuring her" to resign, asking why people continue to give "blank checks" to "elite" universities.