Gay is the second college president to step down since the Dec. 5 hearing of the House Education and Workforce Committee investigating schools’ responses to antisemitism following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill stepped down four days after the hearing.
Stefanik’s grilling of Gay during her appearance before the committee intensified public scrutiny of the now former university president, who also faces accusations of plagiarism.
In response to questions by Stefanik, Gay
said that calling for genocide of Jews may or may not violate university rules on bullying and harassment “depending on the context.” Though
Gay later apologized, these comments sparked sharp criticism from Congress, the Harvard community and the public, and fueled calls for her resignation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also weighed in, writing on social media that “the resignation of Claudine Gay is overdue.”
“Antisemitism has no place on campus — or anywhere in America,” he added.
Other Republicans echoed Stefanik and Johnson’s reactions: “This is the right move. Our university leaders have gone full-on woke and harbor anti-Semitism on campuses. Many should step down,”
wrote Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs.
“She was a total disgrace to her profession,”
said South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman.
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