Harvard University Claudine Gay declined to answer questions about criticism that the school was slow to respond to the tensions on her campus.
As tensions throughout the Harvard campus persist, Harvard President Claudine Gay announced the formation of an advisory group to help combat antisemitism on campus. However, outside of her carefully curated statements and rehearsed speeches, she hasn't been willing to speak more about the issues facing students.
NBC10 Boston attempted to speak to Harvard's 30th president at a groundbreaking ceremony for the university. Her press personnel quickly pushed our cameras away as we tried to ask about her tepid Israel-Hamas response.
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Gay initially faced criticism back in October after failing to immediately condemn the Hamas attacks. Dozens of students beat her to the punch, releasing a statement blaming the terror attacks on Israel. Gay’s second statement came out later, condemning the attacks.
“The initial response from the administration lacked understanding of what Jewish and Israeli students were experiencing,” said Jonah Steinberg the Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League in New England.
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On Friday night Gay addressed hundreds of Jewish undergraduates and their family members at the Harvard Hillel Shabbat dinner, where she delivered a speech about antisemitism on campus. Gay described the board, comprised of students and staff members, as a way to “help think expansively and concretely about all the ways that antisemitism shows up on our campus and in our campus culture.”
“I’m heartened by what Claudine Gay the president said to the community at Harvard Hillel,” said Steinberg.
Meanwhile, Harvard student groups are also asking the president to condemn anti-Palestinian rhetoric on campus. Gay has not commented on their concerns. Over the past few weeks groups like the Harvard Palestine Committee have staged sit-in, walkouts, and rallies in protest of the bombings in Gaza.
