The university's president convened two panels to study campus antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias last year. Harvard said it will begin implementing at least some of the reports' recommendations.
The president's comments came after the administration froze $2 billion in federal grants for Harvard after the university rejected what it saw as illegal government demands.
The government announced it is freezing more than $2.2 billion, hours after the university refused to make changes it said would "dictate what private universities can teach."
Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday amid plagiarism allegations. Experts say improved technology could bring to light more alleged transgressions in past works by other academic leaders.
Jacinda Ardern resigned as New Zealand's prime minister and left Parliament earlier this year, saying that she "no longer had enough in the tank" to continue in politics.