Harvard President Claudine Gay has apologized for remarks she made on antisemitism during her testimony before Congress.
"I am sorry. Words matter." Gay said during an interview with The Harvard Crimson on Thursday.
"When words amplify distress and pain, I don’t know how you could feel anything but regret," she added.
On Tuesday, Gay sat before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce to discuss antisemitism and threats against Jewish students on Harvard’s campus.
During an exchange with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Gay was asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews on campus violates the university’s codes of conduct related to bullying and harassment.
Gay said it would depend on the "context" of the incident.
When asked to give a yes or no answer, Gay said antisemitic speech could warrant action from Harvard if the conduct crosses into bullying, harassment and intimidation.
Stefanik again pressed Gay to provide a simple yes or no response.
"Again, it depends on the context," Gay said.
Her comments drew backlash across social media and even prompted a response from the White House.
Following the backlash, Gay issued a statement on social media, claiming that some had "confused" a right to free expression with the idea that Harvard condones "calls for violence against Jewish students."
"Let me be clear: Calls for violence or genocide against the Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group are vile, they have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account," she continued.
Gay further clarified her comments during her interview with the Crimson.
"I got caught up in what had become at that point, an extended, combative exchange about policies and procedures," Gay said. "What I should have had the presence of mind to do in that moment was return to my guiding truth, which is that calls for violence against our Jewish community — threats to our Jewish students — have no place at Harvard and will never go unchallenged. Substantively, I failed to convey what is my truth."
Gay noted that when the committee invited her to sit before the hearing, she did not hesitate to agree and said it was an opportunity to convey her personal and institutional commitment to fighting antisemitism.
Her initial remarks during the hearing have led to significant fallout. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has announced an official investigation into antisemitism at Harvard and Rabbi David Wolpe resigned from an advisory group created to tackle threats against Jews that Gay had established in November.
Gay’s comments have also led to criticism from Harvard Hillel President and Crimson Editorial lead Jacob M. Miller as well as Hillel Campus Rabbi Getzel Davis.
A Tuesday statement from Miller and Davis claimed that Gay’s "failure" to condemn antisemitic speech adequately "calls into question her ability to protect Jewish students on Harvard’s campus."
"President Gay’s testimony fails to reassure us that the University is seriously concerned about the antisemitic rhetoric pervasive on campus," Miller and Davis added.
