Why Harvard University first black president resign

Harvard University president don resign afta she face allegations of plagiarism and criticism on top her comments about antisemitism wey mean dislike against Jewish pipo on campus.

Claudine Gay don face plenty pressure to step down in recent weeks.

For inside one letter wey she take announce her resignation, she tok say na in di "best interests" of di university for her to go.

"E dey painful to get doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigour," she tok.

She tok say dis no be decision wey come easily for her as she add say e dey difficult beyond words.

Dr Gay add say her resignation go allow Harvard to "focus on di institution rather dan any individual".

She say she bin dey subjected to personal threats and "racial animus".

Di 53-year-old bin serve as president for six months and she be di first black pesin, and di second woman, to dey appointed to lead di Ivy League university. Her tenure na di shortest for di 388-year history of di university.

Harvard na one of di several universities for di US wey dey accused say dem fail to protect dia Jewish students following di outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war for October.

Jewish groups don report alarming rise in antisemitic incidents for di US since di conflict start.

Wetin Dr Gay tok wey lead to her resignation

During one tense congressional hearing last month, Dr Gay say calls for di killing of Jews dey bad. However, she add say, e go depend on di context weda dat kain comments go constitute a violation of Harvard code of conduct regarding bullying and harassment.

Dat comment don lead to widespread backlash and she later apologise for one interview wit di university student newspaper. "Wen words amplify distress and pain, I no know how you fit feel anytin but regret," Dr Gay tok.

Dozens of politicians and some high-profile alumni don call for her to step down sake of di comments.

But nearly 700 staff members bin rally behind her for one letter and di university say she go keep her job despite di controversy.

But since den US media outlets don open up several instances of alleged plagiarism for her academic record.

Harvard board bin di investigate allegations last month, and dem see two published papers wey require additional citation.

Di board, however, tok say she no violate standards for research misconduct.

More claims wey say Dr Gay bin fail to properly cite academic sources comot just hours before she resign on Tuesday.

Di university 11-member governing body, di Harvard Corporation, for one statement tok say Dr Gay go resume her faculty position afta she resign.

"While President Gay don acknowledge missteps and don take responsibility for dem, na also true say she don show remarkable strength in di face of deeply personal and sustained attacks," e tok.

"While some of dis bin play out for di public domain, most of dem bin take di form of hostility and for some cases racist anger wey dem direct to her through disgraceful emails and phone calls," di corporation add. "We condemn such attacks in di strongest possible terms."

University provost and chief academic officer, Alan Garber, go step in as interim president until dem appoint new president, di Harvard Corporation tok.

Dr Gay na di second university official to resign following di 5 December congressional hearing.

Former University of Pennsylvania president Elizabeth Magill bin resign just days later afta one angry backlash. One donor also withdraw im $100m (£80m) in protest sake of her comments.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) President Sally Kornbluth, bin also testify for di hearing, and critics now dey redouble dia calls for her to stand aside also.

Dr Gay resignation, plus di controversy wey surround her recently, don prove to be highly charged issue and immediate political reaction bin dey on Tuesday.

Congressman Byron Donalds, one Florida Republican, bin post on X, formerly Twitter, "two down, one to go" in reference to di three college presidents wey testify for Capitol Hill.

"Her answers bin dey pathetic and e no show di moral leadership and academic integrity required of di president of Harvard," Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik tok.

Di Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance don welcome her resignation, dem tok say as president, Dr Gay "silently encourage those wey wan spread hate for Harvard, wia many Jews no longer feel safe to study, identify and fully participate for di Harvard community".

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, meanwhile, condemn di resignation and e call am " assault on di health, strength, and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion".

Im announce plans to hold protest on Thursday outside di New York office of Bill Ackman, one hedge fund manager and Harvard graduate wey lead calls for Dr Gay resignation.

Di Republican-led congressional committee don launch investigation into Harvard plus oda universities, dem tok say investigation go continue.

"Hostile takeover of postsecondary education by political activists, woke faculty and partisan administrators dey," North Carolina congresswoman Virginia Foxx, chairwoman of di committee tok.

"Di problems for Harvard pass dat of one leader, and di committee oversight go continue."