Kennedy School offer to controversial figure provokes uproar

A “visiting fellow” invitation provokes an uproar.

The mid September appointment of Chelsea Manning—a former soldier convicted of leaking classified information, pardoned by President Barack Obama, and a prominent transgender activist—as a “visiting fellow” of Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) was never going to be popular. (Nor were the appointments of Corey Lewandowski, a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump, and former White House press secretary Sean Spicerto the same status.) Following Manning’s appointment, Michael J. Morrel, a past deputy director of the CIA, resigned as a fellow; thereafter, CIA director Mike Pompeo, J.D. ’94, abruptly canceled an HKS speaking appointment. And shortly after that, dean Douglas W. Elmendorf withdrew Manning’s fellowship, saying HKS had been mistaken to extend the honorific in this instance, when an invitation to speak would have sufficed. That response created a further uproar, as critics charged the school with caving in to the intelligence community or discriminating against convicts (see harvardmag.com/jonesmanning-17). The incident thus overshadowed the traditional role the HKS’s forums have played in hosting wide-ranging, civil presentations extending across the spectrum of political, policy, and international discourse, and thus became more partisan ammunition amid many other heated debates about speech on campuses nationwide. The dean later announced that he was consulting widely to develop new standards and procedures for appointing future fellows; an “improved approach” should be in place later this year.

Read more articles by John S. Rosenberg

You might also like

Boston Board Approves Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus Framework

City planners adopt principles to guide future development of the commercial innovation district in Allston.

At Harvard, Mitt Romney Warns Against ‘Authoritarian’ Presidential Power

The former senator touched on polarization, tech governance, and diplomacy during a conversation at the Institute of Politics.

Harvard Answers Government Admissions Lawsuit

In a separate case, the Trump administration outlines its argument for the federal funding freeze. 

Most popular

How physical appearance influences authority

Cherubic features benefit black male CEOs, but not other groups, underscoring the complexity of social disadvantage.

A Right Way to Teach Reading?

The science, art, and politics of teaching an essential skill

At Harvard Talk, Retired Supreme Court Justice Breyer Defends Shadow Docket

The current law professor also spoke about affirmative action, partisanship, and the limits of “bright-line rules.”

Explore More From Current Issue

Mercy Otis Warren in period attire writes at a desk by candlelight, surrounded by books.

The Woman Who Penned the Case for War

Mercy Otis Warren’s poetry and plays incited the Patriot movement.

Historical battle scene with soldiers in red and blue uniforms, flags waving, chaotic action.

The Harvard-Trained Doctor Who Urged a Revolution

Before his heroic death, General Joseph Warren was dubbed “the greatest incendiary in all of America.”

Colorful illustrated map of Colonial Cambridge and the Harvard College campus featuring buildings of the campus, houses, Cambridge Common, and the Charles River

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history