Harvard University has been grappling with a surge in antisemitism on campus, following the recent conflict between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group.
This has led to a significant drop in early applications and a loss of high-profile donors, reflecting the university's failure to adequately address the issue.
The university's early admission figures, released last week, showed that only 7,921 high school seniors applied through the Early Action Program by the November 1 deadline. This marks a 17 percent decrease from last year's 9,553 early applications, as reported by the New York Post.
Interestingly, not all universities that faced similar challenges in condemning anti-Jewish hate experienced a drop in early applications. The University of Pennsylvania, for instance, saw an increase of 500 applications compared to last year.
Harvard's troubles began in the three weeks between the onset of Hamas' latest terrorist attacks on October 7 and the university's early application deadline. The university's response to the situation, or rather the lack of it, has been a major cause for concern.
In the early days of the conflict, several student groups issued a joint letter, labeling Israel as an "apartheid regime" and holding it solely responsible for the terror. Harvard President Claudine Gay initially released a statement condemning the atrocities committed by Hamas. However, following backlash over the student groups' letter, she revised her statement to distance the university from these groups.
"As the events of recent days continue to reverberate, let there be no doubt that I condemn the terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas," Gay wrote. "Such inhumanity is abhorrent, whatever ones individual views of the origins of longstanding conflicts in the region." She further clarified, "Let me also state, on this matter as on others, that while our students have the right to speak for themselves, no student group not even 30 student groups speaks for Harvard University or its leadership."
The rise in antisemitism on campus has since become a significant issue, leading to a Department of Justice investigation into the university. President Gay has also testified before Congress on the matter.
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