Harvard University president Claudine Gay resigned on Tuesday following a short tenure that was plagued by her response to anti-Semitic incidents on campus and allegations of plagiarism.
“It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” she said in an email to students obtained by The New York Times.
“It has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.”
The Corporation, Harvard's governing body, said later on Tuesday: "It is with that overarching consideration in mind that we have accepted her resignation. We do so with sorrow."
Alan Garber, Harvard provost, will serve as interim president until a new leader for the university is chosen.
Ms Gay's presidency was thrown into turmoil over how she responded to reports of anti-Semitism on Harvard's campus. The university is one of several throughout the US which has seen a rise in pro-Palestinian activism amid the Israel-Gaza war.
During a congressional hearing last month, Ms Gay defended US universities that have to defend free speech while also combating hate. She and two other university presidents said forms of hate included anti-Semitism as well as anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiments.
In an exchange with US Representative Elise Stefanik, Ms Gay declined to provide a “yes” or “no” answer when asked if calling for genocide of Jewish people violated university codes of conduct.
“Harvard knows that this long overdue forced resignation of the anti-Semitic plagiarist president is just the beginning of what will be the greatest scandal of any college or university in history,” said Ms Stefanik.
In an interview with the Harvard Crimson, Ms Gay apologised for her remarks during the hearing. She also sought to clarify her position through Harvard University's X account.
“Let me be clear: calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group, are vile, they have no place at Harvard and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account,” Ms Gay said in a statement.
Hundreds of Harvard faculty members backed Ms Gay amid calls for her to resign in September, and the Corporation said on December 12 that “we unanimously stand in support of President Gay”.
Ms Gray's position became untenable in recent weeks over allegations of plagiarism, in which she was accused of not properly citing sources in her academic work. She faced more accusations of plagiarism on Tuesday that were published on conservative outlet The Free Beacon.
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
More on animal trafficking
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
