Garber Urges Unity at Harvard Morning Prayers While Acknowledging Campus Divisions

Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 acknowledged that deep divisions remain on campus in an address at Memorial Church Tuesday morning, urging affiliates to “embrace each other” as the University anticipates another tumultuous semester.

“We also know that this fall is not likely to be calm with memories of the spring so fresh,” Garber said in his remarks at Morning Prayers, continuing a tradition of presidential addresses during the sermon on the first day of class.

Echoing his statements to freshmen during Convocation Monday, Garber recognized the likelihood of protests on campus but also cautioned attendees to avoid isolating each other.

“By reserving judgment, we make it possible for others to know that they are part of this community, and that this community cares for them as much as you hope and expect it will,” Garber said. “Disappointment in this regard is a crushing blow, not to the will but to the spirit, with belonging — and the freedom and peace that it brings — out of reach.”

Garber and other top University leaders have signaled that they have a lower level of tolerance for disruptive campus protests after the 20-day encampment in Harvard Yard last spring and a walkout featuring more than 1,000 students during Commencement.

“We expect that there will be debate and argument,” Garber said. “There will no doubt be hard feelings and hurt feelings among us.”

Garber has previously told protesters they would face consequences for rule violations and in an email last week, Harvard Executive Vice President Meredith L. Weenick ’90 told them the University is prepared to call in the police in the event of “substantial disruptions” to campus operations.

One day into the semester, the campus’ pro-Palestine activists have been largely quiet. They were absent from freshman convocation, did not protest Garber’s speech at Morning Prayers, and have not announced any rallies.

And despite the concern from Garber about a resurgence of campus protests, he largely struck an optimistic tone in his remarks at Memorial Church.

“If you believe the headlines — and last month was awash with them — those of us who are fortunate enough to be part of universities have no choice but to brace ourselves,” Garber said. “What a bleak notion that is at an institution such as this one.”

“This is not a time to brace ourselves,” he added. “This is a time to embrace one another.”

Garber, who is Jewish, also quoted from Pirkei Avot, a Jewish rabbinical text.

“Find yourself a teacher, win yourself a friend, and be one who judges everyone by giving them the benefit of the doubt,” Garber said.

Garber encouraged attendees to find commonalities and be each other’s teachers and friends, even in moments of intense disagreement.

“To do so, we must welcome humility and humanity into interactions with each other more readily than in the sense of righteousness,” he said.

—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.