Garber Is the Right Choice for Turbulent Times

If the beginning of his tenure was a test, Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 passed with flying colors.

On Monday, the Harvard Corporation announced that Garber will remain in his role indefinitely beyond the 2026-2027 academic year, a welcome extension to his once-finite presidency.

Although we’ve critiqued decisions made under Garber’s leadership, keeping him in Massachusetts Hall is undoubtedly the right move for Harvard. Confronted with some of the most existential threats in the University’s history, he has shown himself to be a strong, capable leader and — with only more trouble on the horizon — exactly the person we need at the helm.

Since he first stepped into the role as interim president, Garber has successfully steered Harvard through unbelievably turbulent waters. Following the resignation of former Harvard President Claudine Gay, he kept the ship afloat, restoring relations with donors and helping to broker a peaceful (albeit controversial) end to a pro-Palestine encampment. Facing hostile attacks from Washington, he refused to give in to the White House’s demands. Even as peer institutions backed down, Harvard stood up, suing the Trump administration to preserve research funding and protect international students.

Over and over, Garber has reiterated his commitment to defending the University’s students, research, and academic freedom.

When Garber was officially named Harvard’s 31st president last year, we applauded the decision, though we argued his term should be temporary. We hoped he would keep a steady hand on the tiller as Harvard continued to navigate uncertain seas, until, presumably by 2027, a more transformative, long-term leader could take charge.

Unfortunately, times have gotten even worse. If the University couldn’t afford the risk of an untested president in 2024, it certainly can’t now.

Meanwhile, amid a chaotic Trump presidency, Garber has continued to prove himself up to the task. His practiced hand — together with the remarkable courage and moral clarity he has demonstrated — is exactly what Harvard still needs.

Of course, Garber’s performance hasn’t been perfect. On his watch, the University enacted stricter protest restrictions, seemingly ramped up oversight of scholarship on Palestine, and rebranded Harvard’s Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging — a change Garber admitted he had a direct hand in. Even with Harvard publicly taking a stand against federal interference, many of these shifts appear to acquiesce to Trump’s demands.

Ultimately, the Harvard president’s decisions don’t merely determine policy, they set the tone that shapes both our institution and higher education as a whole. If the University indicates, even implicitly, that appeasement is an option, academic freedom remains at risk. To that end, Garber must fully commit to resistance moving forward.

Nevertheless, Garber has extensive experience fighting back against Trump. His track record thus far reassures us that he can continue to meet the moment.

The results of his nearly two-year-long stress test are clear: Garber is the man for the job.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.

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