University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigns

WASHINGTON DC: University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned from her position on Saturday (local time) after facing criticism over her remarks in a House hearing this week about rising antisemitism on college campuses, The Hill reported. In an email to university alumni, Board of Trustees Chair Scott Bok confirmed the development. In the email, he stated, "I write to share that President Liz Magill has voluntarily tendered her resignation as President of the University of Pennsylvania." Bok further stated, "She will remain a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law."

Scott Bok said, "On behalf of the entire Penn community, I want to thank President Magill for her service to the University as President and wish her well." Meanwhile, Liz Magill called it a "privilege and honour" to serve the country. She said, "It has been my privilege to serve as president of this remarkable institution."

Magill stated, "It has been an honour to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members to advance Penn's vital missions." Magill's resignation comes after she and other college leaders said on Tuesday that it would depend on context whether comments calling for the genocide of Jewish people would be considered harassment. She faced criticism over her remarks from university alumni and Pennsylvania politicians, some of whom called on her to resign or be removed from the role.

On Tuesday, Magill along with the presidents of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) responded to the questions from the House Education Committee as US Congress increasingly focuses on college campuses amid concerns of rising antisemitism in the US amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. After she made her remarks in Congress, six Pennsylvania GOP House members called on Magill to resign, and the state's Jewish governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro, said that the university's board of trustees should meet to discuss the situation, The Hill reported.

In a statement posted on X, US Representative Guy Reschenthaler stated, "President Liz Magill's actions in front of Congress were an embarrassment to the university, its student body, and its vast network of proud alumni." Reschenthaler added, "She has shown the entire world that she is either incapable or unwilling to combat antisemitism on the university's campus and take care of its student body." Her statement resulted in university losing a donation of USD 100 million and garnered criticism from the White House.

Former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, a longtime University of Pennsylvania donor, pledged to stop donations over the controversy. A bipartisan coalition of more than 70 lawmakers also sent a letter to the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and MIT school boards calling for the removal of the presidents, The Hill reported.

Meanwhile, Harvard University President Claudine Gay apologised for her response during a congressional hearing where she failed to 'explicitly condemn' calls for genocide against the Jewish people, CNN reported. "I am sorry," Harvard University president Claudine Gay said in an interview with the school's student newspaper 'The Harvard Crimson' on Thursday. "Words matter."