What does Dr. Claudine Gay mean to me?

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – When Dr. Claudine Gay was named the first Black president of Harvard University, and only the second women, I was pleased. Familiar with her record as dean of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and aware of the rigorous process that narrowed more than 600 applicants or nominees to Gay, I felt that Harvard could not have selected someone more qualified. Still, I was aware of the pitfall possibilities that Gay faced. Even before she assumed the Harvard presidency, rabid racists questioned everything about her, from her research record to her attitude. Following her inauguration closely, I was buoyed by her wide smile. Despite the racist invective, she was enjoying her job! Related Stories That didn’t last long. The witch hunt that had three female college presidents squirming under the hostile questioning of Gay’s disastrous testimony to Congress attracted even more criticism. And as the criticism reached a crescendo, Gay succumbed to the inevitable and resigned. Would she have been able to do anything else? Her detractors had trashed her reputation. How could she possibly fundraise under those circumstances. Many talks of “presidential leadership” in the higher education context, but college presidents are also judged by their...