Harvard’s Ex-President Claudine Gay Faces Plagiarism

Harvard University is dealing with a major concern regarding its ex-president, Claudine Gay, who is being accused of plagiarism on her 1997 Ph.D. These concerns were brought to light in December after reviews from Free Beacon and Substack. Additionally, Gay confronted grievance for what she stated was approximately antisemitism at some point of an assembly with Congress.

Even with the controversy, Harvard’s top association, referred to as the Harvard Corporation, supported Gay. She attempted to fix matters by making corrections in works where she was accused of plagiarism. The university also stated that she would correct three other parts in her 1997 doctoral dissertation. A separate overview declared that she did not damage Harvard's regulations for a way to do research, even though she did not do citations properly. Rajbir Toor, a sophomore at Sewanhaka High School who expressed concern over the controversy, said, “It's surprising to hear about these accusations against someone in such a high position. It makes you question if schools are doing things the right way." Furthermore, Naeem Hoque, another sophomore, added, “I think it’s crucial for leaders to be a good example. If there are allegations of plagiarism, it undermines the very foundation of education and research.”

Multiple scholars such as Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. and Gary King expressed different opinions regarding Gay's situation. Scholars who have known Claudine for years have high faith in her and can’t imagine her plagiarizing. Chancellor Gilliam expressed sadness over Gay's circumstances by stating, "I have known Dr. Claudine Gay to be an energetic and contributory scholar for many years." Moreover, Professor King, who served as Gay's dissertation adviser, defended her, stating, "If you were going to commit plagiarism, would you plagiarize your professor’s work and expect to get away with it?"

As Claudine Gay deals with these accusations, Harvard has to determine a way to deal with this challenging situation. The way people are responding to this event indicates that colleges need to be open and honest and not present any bias, mainly when it comes to the respect of their important leaders. Harvard's intention of being truly admirable and appropriate in education is being tested, and the university wants to be cautious to preserve the trust of those who learn and work there.