Almost a Week at Harvard for $9,900

Are robust and consistent protections for free speech about to make a comeback on campus? The repercussions continue from last week’s congressional testimony by presidents of several elite universities. Douglas Belkin and Matt Barnum report for the Journal:

The governing board at Harvard University was scheduled to meet Monday to discuss calls for removing the school’s president as pressure mounted from critics following comments she made last week before Congress about antisemitism on campus.

The congressional testimony last week by Claudine Gay has prompted donors and conservative lawmakers to call for her to step down in the wake of the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill on Saturday. Both women, along with the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, drew sharp criticism for their responses to Washington lawmakers during a five-hour hearing.

When asked by New York Republican Elise Stefanik whether “calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules of bullying and harassment, yes or no?” Gay demurred, saying the answer depended on the context.

The Harvard community appears roughly split on Gay’s tenure. A letter signed by hundreds of alumni as well as some students and a few dozen faculty and staff has called for her to step down. The letter says Gay “selectively applies the principles of free speech to protect certain groups over others.” .... Across campus on Monday, a statement in support of Gay was also gathering momentum. In a separate letter, more than 700 faculty said they opposed her ouster as of Monday afternoon.

After the testimony, Ms. Gay apologized in an interview last week with the Harvard Crimson. Miles Herszenhorn and Claire Yuan reported for the Crimson: