Interim Harvard President Named to Stay Through 2026-27 Academic Year

Harvard University named Alan Garber to serve as the 31st president during the 2026-27 academic year on Friday, seven months after controversies led the previous leader to resign.

Garber became interim president of the university earlier this year after former president Claudine Gay resigned following scandals related to anti-Semitism on campus and alleged plagiarism.

“Alan has done an outstanding job leading Harvard through extraordinary challenges since assuming his interim presidential duties seven months ago,” said Harvard Corp. Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker. wrote in a statement Friday. “We ask that you hold the title of President, and not just Interim President, both to recognize your distinguished service to the University and to underscore our belief that this is a time not just for steady stewardship, but for a active and committed leadership.”

“Alan led with a deep concern for all members of the Harvard community, a strong devotion to enduring university ideals, and a fundamental commitment to academic excellence,” Pritzker added.

Gay, who made history as the university’s first black president, also set the record for the shortest tenure in Harvard’s history. His presidency fell apart over the fall semester, when the school rose to national prominence due to campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Some students shouted anti-Semitic slogans, and black students on campus also faced vitriol and intolerance.

The House Education Committee subpoenaed Gay to appear before the committee, alongside other university presidents, in December, where she sparked further controversy by failing to give a clear answer about whether students calling for the genocide of the Jewish people violated the code of university conduct.

The same hearing also led to the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill in December.

As Gay weathered this storm, conservative media published allegations that she had plagiarized parts of her college thesis and scholarship. Although she denied the allegations, she finally resigned on January 2.

Garber was then named interim president of Harvard minutes after Gay’s resignation, and at the time, Pritzker told the Harvard community that a “presidential search would begin in due course.”

In his statement Friday, Pritzker said extending Garber’s tenure would give the team an opportunity to “sustain and build momentum” around key priorities and initiatives.

“It will also provide ample time for us at the Corporation to reflect, in consultation with others, on how best to approach the future presidential search, including how to secure robust contributions from Harvard and elsewhere,” she added.

Students, teachers and alumni everyone criticized Harvard for an “opaque” presidential search process that does not include different perspectives within the community, according to the Crimson.

Before assuming the presidency, Garber was Harvard’s longest-serving dean, which is the university’s second-most senior position.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story