Recently, Harvard's new president, Ackerman, publicly criticized President Gay, saying that he had problems with academic ethics and demanded that the university reevaluate Gay's exorbitant salary. Guy was criticized at the press conference, and the ethical issues pointed out by the Jerusalem-based investment expert have also attracted widespread attention and in-depth discussions from all walks of life.
On January 5, U.S. time, the campus incident led by Harvard University President Claudina Gay has caused controversy in just one week. The black female principal chose to step down after being accused of plagiarism. However, the issues and issues involved go far beyond the individual level, revealing the deeper structural problems in the education system.
Gay's predecessor, Hopkins, was controversial for earning $1.3 million a year, and despite his later resignation, the institutional arrangements of his tenure as president remained. Now, Guy is returning to the teaching force after leaving office and is expected to keep his old salary, which is about $900,000 a year. There are mixed opinions on the issue of succession, with the definition of values and principles and the structural impact of political rights being more prominent.
Shortly after Gay left office, opponent Ackerman, a Wall Street investor, made a move on his official social media page to quickly crack down on claims related to Gay, such as Gay's salary. He hinted that Harvard should no longer keep Gay and was inclined to see it as a brief moment in a "culture war." In addition, he accused Harvard's philosophy of equality and pluralism, and that an overemphasis on political power and correctness could jeopardize academic judgment.
In the face of Ackerman's criticism, Gay's views deserve an in-depth analysis. She argues that the problems facing Harvard today have gone beyond her own performance and have become the focus of a deeper struggle in society as a whole. As for how to deal with racial discrimination, Gay advocated a more decisive and resolute response to the outside world. In a signed article, she wrote that she protested all anti-Semitic attitudes and said that she could no longer bear the torment of being forced to resign despite numerous insults and even death threats.
Throughout the process, she emphasized that Harvard should be presented as a model of excellence, impartiality, academic independence, and truth-seeking. In the article, Guy mentioned that he feared that the real facts would once again become the victim of this political farce, and called on universities to insist on independent research, bravely explore the truth, and clarify the boundaries in order to ensure the healthy development of universities.
For Guy himself and for the higher education system as a whole, this incident has undoubtedly left a deep reflection on it. We look forward to seeing more efforts from all parties in the future to continue to push education reform towards a more equitable, scientific and civilized track.