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Former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers’ career has weathered many controversies. May this one be his last on our campus.

According to emails released by Congress last week, Summers maintained close correspondence with convicted pedophile Jeffrey E. Epstein for the better half of a decade, up until the day before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. The two shared sexist banter, facilitated introductions, and traded notes on global elites. Most damningly, though, Summers turned to Epstein for guidance on how to pursue a clandestine romantic engagement with a woman whom he described as a mentee.

Summers was right to resign his posts at the Center for American Progress, the Yale Budget Lab, and OpenAI. The New York Times was similarly justified in declining to renew his term as a contributing opinion writer. By any consistent standard, if Summers is unfit to work for each of these institutions, he is equally unfit to teach at our school. Harvard should not be the only institution in America where Summers remains above reproach.

Summers should choose the most straightforward path and resign. Should he refuse to, though, the University must cut ties with its former president to the greatest extent possible.

If Summers remains, Harvard’s educational mission, public image, and moral standing are at risk. An effective educator must respect all students equally. The content of a lecture — rather than the scandalous and reprehensible conduct of the lecturer — ought to be the focus of a class. Yesterday morning, this was not the case. Summers began his lecture with an apology for fraternizing with Epstein before proceeding with his students’ “permission” — which he seemingly never actually stopped to receive. This elephant in the classroom is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Moreover, women at Harvard deserve educators who respect them. Grotesque as recent developments are, they should come as no surprise. Two decades ago, Summers’ disparaging comments about women’s intelligence helped topple his University presidency. He has now only doubled down on his misogyny. Emailing Epstein, Summers debuted a more radical thesis: Despite comprising a majority of the world’s population, women possess half of the world’s cumulative IQ points.

The moral and pedagogical implications of inaction are grave. As other high-profile institutions part ways with Summers, Harvard’s continued ties to its president emeritus imperil the University’s already tenuous public standing.

Narratives about elitism at institutions like Harvard have contributed to declining public trust in higher education. The University has, in turn, suffered greatly in the political arena. It cannot afford to further tether itself to Epstein’s shameful and violent legacy — an ultimate symbol of elite impunity in American society.

Unless found guilty of “grave misconduct or neglect of duty,” tenure protects Summers from outright firing. Even if Harvard’s recently launched investigation finds that his conduct falls short of that threshold, we implore the University to explore any and all alternative avenues for discipline. This is a largely unprecedented situation, and the specific mechanisms available to Harvard and its academic units are unclear. Regardless, we believe that Harvard ought not bestow its highest honors upon those who exhibit the most morally bankrupt of characters.

Summers is a towering figure. He has served at the highest echelons of American political and intellectual life. But Harvard must hold its faculty to basic moral and behavioral standards, however great their accolades.

In a New York Times essay last April, Summers lamented that the University had “repeatedly failed to impose discipline and maintain order.” If Summers won’t step aside voluntarily, Harvard should take his advice — and begin by disciplining him.

Violet T.M. Barron ’26, a Crimson Editorial Comp Director and Associate Editorial editor, is a Social Studies concentrator in Adams House. Alex Bronzini-Vender ’28, a Crimson Editorial comper, is a double concentrator in History and Government in Cabot House. Adam N. Chiocco ’27, a Crimson Editorial editor, is a Philosophy concentrator in Pforzheimer House.