The Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers met Sunday for the first time amid the substantial blowback to President Claudine Gay’s controversial congressional testimony on antisemitism.

Gay, along with leaders at the University of Pennsylvania and MIT, testified before Congress on Tuesday in a hearing on antisemitism on their college campuses following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October.

At the hearing, Gay spoke against “hateful” antisemitic speech but said the school is committed to protecting free speech, prompting a wave of backlash and calls for her resignation.

The Harvard Crimson initially reported the Board meeting on Sunday — which was regularly scheduled — and stated Harvard did not comment on the Board meeting Sunday or provide information on the topics of the meeting.

The university did not respond immediately to a Herald request for comment Sunday.

Gay issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying her remarks and apologized for her remarks.

“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,” Gay said Wednesday.

Many stood by the calls following the apology, with over 70 members of Congress — largely Republicans — calling for Gay’s resignation in a letter to the Harvard Board sent Friday.

Facing similar calls, UPenn President Elizabeth Magill resigned from her position at a Board meeting on Saturday.

President Gay was elected by the Board to lead the university less than a year ago.

Related Articles

University of Pennsylvania president resigns as antisemitism testimony draws backlash

‘Harvard Hates Jews’ plane flying over Army-Navy football game

Harvard body parts trafficking case: Scandal plaintiffs disappointed with report

Harvard president apologizes for remarks on antisemitism as pressure mounts on Penn’s president

Howie Carr: Harvard poison ivy

Former Harvard President Larry Summers spoke out critically on the role of the Harvard’s Board earlier in the week on Bloomberg TV, calling them “substantially AWOL” on many issues.

“I hope as people look forward, they will focus much more attention on those who have had the ultimate fiduciary responsibility,” Summers said. “And I would suggest to alumni who are concerned, be very careful about raining abuse on particular academic figures, when the people who ultimately have responsibility for your degrees I think have let them down over a substantial period of time.”

Despite the calls from politicians and others, many faculty within the school have stood by Gay. More than 350 Harvard faculty member signed a letter to the Board on Sunday, according to the Crimson, calling in the “strongest possible terms” for the Board to resist calls to remove her and “defend the independence of the university.”