Boston, Massachusetts – A 42-page report released by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce shed light on the internal conflict between former Harvard President Claudine Gay and an antisemitism advisory group she formed following an attack by Hamas on Israel.
The report, part of the committee’s scrutinization of Harvard, disclosed that five out of the eight members of the advisory group threatened to resign collectively less than two weeks after Gay announced its establishment. The report highlighted that the recommendations outlined in the document could have significantly impacted Harvard’s antisemitism issue if implemented, criticizing Harvard’s leaders for failing to follow the experts’ advice.
Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton responded to the committee’s report, disputing its accuracy and presenting Harvard’s efforts to combat antisemitism. Newton expressed disappointment in the selective use of internal documents and emphasized Harvard’s dedication to addressing antisemitism.
The committee’s report heavily relied on the University’s submissions, including unreleased recommendations from Gay’s advisory group and an interview with Dara Horn ’99, a group member. Despite Gay’s resignation four months prior, interim University President Alan M. Garber ’76 largely evaded criticism in the report, which mainly focused on Gay’s handling of the advisory group’s recommendations.
The report detailed a situation where five members of the advisory group issued ultimatums, including public condemnation of certain slogans by pro-Palestine students, a ban on masked protests, and a confidential investigation into antisemitism allegations against the dean of Harvard Medical School. Gay called an emergency meeting to prevent the mass resignation and later made concessions in response.
Following the emergency meeting, Gay explicitly condemned specific phrases used by pro-Palestine protesters and announced measures to address antisemitism. However, complaints from Jewish students regarding instances of antisemitism on campus were reportedly not adequately addressed by Gay and the administration.
The advisory group’s recommendations included reevaluating the Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and investigating potential influences of foreign funding on campus activities. The committee’s investigation into antisemitism at Harvard is ongoing, indicating further scrutiny of the university’s response to unlawful campus activities.
Harvard’s commitment to combating hate and promoting civil dialogue was reiterated in response to the report’s criticisms. The committee’s continued investigation of Harvard and other universities signifies a sustained effort to address antisemitism and related issues on college campuses.