Harvard's Salient Magazine to Resume Publishing in January After Leadership Changes | News | The Harvard Crimson
Updated December 15, 2025, at 7:55 p.m.
Harvard's Salient magazine will resume operations in January following the resignation of its president and editor-in-chief, the magazine's board of directors announced, bringing an end to a months-long dispute over the publication's future.
Julia G. Grinstead '27, the Salient's president, and Richard Y. Rodgers '28, its editor-in-chief, stepped down from their roles, according to a post on the organization's official Substack.
In a statement, the Salient's board announced that Sarah Steele '18-'26, who served as president during the 2024-2025 school year, will return as interim president until students select new leadership in the spring. The board expressed its commitment to the magazine's continued success as a voice for conservative thought on Harvard's campus.
The board did not disclose who would replace Rodgers as editor-in-chief on Monday.
Rodgers expressed pride in the publication's direction under his leadership in a text to The Crimson, emphasizing the importance of right-wing media rooted in Christian truth, cultural preservation, and critical examination of forces that threaten these values.
Grinstead did not respond to requests for comment on her resignation.
The resignations followed a prolonged conflict between The Salient's undergraduate leaders and its 10-member board of directors over the board's authority to suspend the magazine's operations. In October, the board halted publication after finding certain articles 'reprehensible, abusive, and demeaning,' though specific articles were not identified.
The board issued a cease-and-desist order after Rodgers announced the Salient would continue publishing, challenging the board's authority. Rodgers acknowledged the board's order in November, marking the end of the Salient's publication hiatus.
As an executive officer, Rodgers led efforts to resist the board's intervention, sharing equal authority with the president. The Salient's constitution outlines the president's administrative oversight and the editor-in-chief's editorial direction and content approval.
Grinstead and Rodgers did not respond to previous requests for comment on the initial suspension or the cease-and-desist order.
The Salient faced campus-wide criticism in September for publishing an article mirroring language from an Adolf Hitler speech and another advocating for gender-segregated classes. Rodgers defended the former article, attributing the Hitler quotes to unintentional similarities.
Harvard administrators have largely avoided involvement, with College Dean David J. Deming declining to comment on the article in an October interview, citing the College's stance on stepping in only after receiving student complaints.
In addition to content concerns, the board cited internal culture issues in the initial suspension announcement, mentioning 'deeply disturbing and credible complaints' without providing further details.
Correction: December 15, 2025
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Sarah Steele '18-'26 graduated last week. Steele is a mid-year graduate and will formally graduate in May with the Class of 2026.
