The Hill, Lexi Lonas, December 17, 2023
Harvard University has a difficult job ahead as it works to rebuild trust in its community and try to move on from the fallout of its president’s testimony before Congress.
Unlike the head of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Harvard chief Claudine Gay was able to keep her position after international backlash when two the leaders, as well as the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), refused to say that a call for Jewish genocide would constitute harassment.
Those invested in the campus culture say Harvard needs to begin an open process of remedying its policies to earn their trust back.
Roni Brunn, a leading member of the Harvard Jewish Alumni Association, said the university needs to be “transparent” in its next steps.
She lamented the vague statements and promises from Harvard that students who have crossed the line into antisemitism are facing repercussions.