Former Harvard President's DEI Initiatives Under Scrutiny Following Resignation

Critics argue that Claudine Gay's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts stifled academic freedom and free speech on campus.

Former Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned on January 2nd, following multiple plagiarism allegations and criticism for failing to clarify whether calls for genocide violated the school's code of conduct during a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism.
During her tenure, Gay expanded diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including creating new DEI positions and a task force that recommended the removal of portraits of white men.
Critics argue that the expansion of DEI initiatives has stifled academic freedom and free speech on campus, with Harvard ranking last on the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's 2024 free speech report.
Gay faced backlash for remaining silent following the October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel, leading to the creation of an antisemitism task force at the university.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has expanded its investigation into several universities, including Harvard, to include DEI initiatives following Gay's resignation.