Harvard Will Not Host an Inauguration Ceremony for Alan Garber

Alan M. Garber ’76 will forgo a traditional presidential inauguration, a University spokesperson confirmed on Sunday, avoiding a scenario that would have seen Harvard host its second installment ceremony in as many years.

The decision will break with centuries of precedent as Harvard typically hosts a University-wide ceremony to celebrate its newly-appointed presidents, but it also underscores Garber’s own view of his tenure as a leader tasked with guiding Harvard through its current crisis.

Garber suddenly found himself at the helm of the nation’s oldest academic institution when former Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned on Jan. 2, after just six months in office. In a University-wide email shortly after Gay stepped down, Garber acknowledged the extraordinary circumstances that led to his elevation as president.

“Our task is difficult yet essential, and we have much work ahead of us,” Garber wrote. “Although I regret the circumstances that have me writing to you as your interim president, please know that I will serve with a dedication to the Harvard I know and cherish.”

Former Harvard President Claudine Gay’s inauguration in September 2023 drew hundreds of people to Tercentenary Theater, including delegates from 185 educational institutions, Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92, and three former University presidents.

Her address to attendees was an opportunity to introduce herself as Harvard’s new president and, on a broader level, a representative of higher education.

“I stand before you today humbled by the prospect of leading Harvard, emboldened by the trust you have placed in me, and energized by your own commitment to this singular institution and to the common cause of higher education,” Gay said.

Gay’s installment ceremony consumed the campus in much the same way Commencement does each year. Tercentenary Theatre was set with its massive tent and stage for dozens of Harvard administrators and faculty. And despite the rain, the Yard was packed with Harvard affiliates eager to witness the inauguration of their new president.

Affiliates were given ceremonious pins and invited to a “community-wide celebration” with performances and food to ring in the new administration. And a more exclusive group of guests were treated to a private reception in Annenberg Hall, complete with tiramisu and chocolate fountains. Undergraduates were even surprised in the dining halls with Claudine Gay commemorative cookies and cupcakes.

There will be no Garber cupcakes this year, but it is still possible that the University will decide to honor Garber in a more subdued — and less costly — format. Another option is that Garber will hold a private ceremony behind closed doors for select members of University leadership.

In an email after Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny S. Pritzker ’81 announced Garber’s appointment as the University’s 31st president, Garber wrote that he “will have more to say” about his plans when the fall term begins.

But Garber did not seem to treat his permanent appointment as a major change.

“Following today’s announcement, I write with a simple message of gratitude for the opportunity to lead Harvard as your president for the next three years,” Garber wrote.

Instead, he praised contributions to “academic excellence” and wished affiliates a nice summer.

“I hope these summer months have been good ones, and I look forward to seeing many of you on campus before long.”

—Staff writer Emma H. Haidar can be reached at emma.haidar@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @HaidarEmma.

—Staff writer Cam E. Kettles can be reached at cam.kettles@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @cam_kettles or on Threads @camkettles.