This week, a Harvard University resident dean was removed from his position after a far-right-wing blog resurfaced years-old, controversial tweets. Gregory Davis served as dean for Dunster House, one of the Ivy League’s undergraduate residential houses. However, on Monday, Davis announced that he had been removed from his role in a message reportedly shared with students through the affiliates of the residential house.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as the Resident Dean for Dunster,” Davis wrote as reported by the Harvard Crimson. “I will miss my work with students and staff immensely.”
The university later confirmed Davis’ removal in a separate email, writing: “We are writing to confirm that Gregory Davis is no longer serving as the Allston Burr Resident Dean of Dunster House, effective today. We thank Gregory for serving in this role and wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors,” per Fox News.
Davis’ removal comes months after the far-right blog, Yard.Report resurfaced a series of old controversial tweets and Facebook posts written by the former Harvard residential dean, claiming that he is “not as ‘open and inclusive’ as he makes himself out to be.”
In the posts which were shared between 2019 and 2021, one of the many peaks of the Black Lives Matter movement following George Floyd’s murder, Davis criticized President Trump, law enforcement, and shared his thoughts on the growing racial tensions at the time.
“I find myself in the limited space. I don’t-at all- blame people wishing Trump ill. I also don’t blame (Black) people who steadfastly don’t wish death on anyone,” he wrote in one of the resurfaced tweets.
Another reportedly read: “It’s almost like whiteness is a self-destructive ideology that annihilates everyone around it. By design.”
The article also spotlighted posts from that same time period in which Davis called police officers “racist and evil” and likened “rioting and looting” to “voting and marching.” Following the resurfaced posts and article, which called for him to be “fired immediately,” Davis faced intense scrutiny online and released a statement expressing his regret for the impact of the posts.
“Recently, some media organizations have inquired regarding comments that I made on my personal social media accounts prior to my start in the Resident Dean role. These posts do not reflect my current thinking or beliefs. I deeply appreciate the responsibility inherent in the Resident Dean role and I value the trust that individuals have placed in me. I regret if my statements have any negative impact on the Dunster community,” he told Fox News in October. “Since becoming the Allston Burr Resident Dean, I have worked hard to ensure that Dunster House is a welcoming, warm and supportive space for all of its members. That continues to be the guiding force of my work today.”
Though Davis expressed his excitement to return to continue his work on campus, he and his family are now facing an unexpected transition. Davis’ wife, Nirisi, launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking support during what she describes as “an incredibly difficult and unexpected time” for their family.
“My husband, who has dedicated himself to his work at Harvard and to supporting students, was recently terminated from his position while returning from parental leave. Adding to the stress, we were given only 10 days to vacate our university housing,” she wrote. “This sudden and unplanned upheaval has left us scrambling to find a safe home for our family amidst the harsh winter months. We have a beloved five-year-old daughter who is thriving in her current school, and a newborn son, whom we named Dean Davis because my husband’s role as a Dean meant so much to him.”
The statement continued: “Unfortunately, the financial strain caused by my difficult pregnancy and several miscarriages depleted much of our savings. With no family nearby to lean on, we are doing our best to navigate this overwhelming situation, but we need help to secure housing and to ensure stability for our children, especially keeping our daughter in her school […] My husband would never ask for help himself, but as a mother and wife, I know how much your kindness would mean to him and our family. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any support you can provide, whether it’s through a donation or by sharing our story with others.”
