Penny Pritzker, a former Obama Cabinet official and current Biden appointee, is facing calls to step down from her role at the top of Harvard's governing board. The call comes after the resignation of university president Claudine Gay amidst controversies over her handling of campus antisemitism and allegations of academic plagiarism. Bill Ackman, a hedge fund manager and critic of Harvard's handling of claims of antisemitism, called on Pritzker to resign. Pritzker, who led the presidential search that selected Gay, is now facing scrutiny about her future at Harvard. Pritzker has rejected calls to resign, and others on the right have also called for her ouster. Pritzker is a billionaire and a noted political donor to Democratic candidates. She is also Jewish American and a Harvard alum. Pritzker was recently tapped by President Joe Biden to serve as special representative for Ukraine's economic recovery. She is the sister of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has expressed support for Israel. Pritzker has defended her handling of the campus crisis, and those close to her have praised her leadership. She is the first woman to lead the Harvard Corporation and has been on the board since 2018. Pritzker has also faced scrutiny from congressional lawmakers regarding plagiarism allegations against Gay. Despite the challenges, Pritzker's friends and colleagues have praised her leadership and decision-making abilities.
In her resignation letter, Claudine Gay expressed her love for Harvard but stated that it is in the best interests of the institution for her to step down. She mentioned the tensions and divisions within the Harvard community, as well as personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus. Gay pledged to continue working alongside the Harvard community to combat bias and hate, create a respectful learning environment, and uphold the values of open inquiry and free expression. She hoped for brighter days ahead and encouraged the Harvard community to strive for common humanity and excellence. The resignation comes after weeks of controversy.
In a separate development, Altus Power, Inc announced the resignation of Diane Brink from its Board of Directors. Brink's resignation was submitted on Monday and took effect immediately. She served as a key member of the board, contributing to the audit committee and leading the compensation committee. The company stated that the resignation was due to personal reasons and confirmed that there were no disagreements with Brink that prompted her decision to step down. Altus Power has not yet announced a successor for Brink or detailed how her responsibilities will be managed moving forward.
These recent resignations at Harvard and Altus Power's Board of Directors highlight the challenges faced by institutions and organizations in managing controversies and maintaining effective leadership. The departures of Pritzker and Gay from Harvard's governing board and Brink from Altus Power's Board of Directors leave vacancies that will need to be filled as these institutions navigate their future paths.
Sources: [f48c46bc] [36092541]