Elizabeth Magill resigns as UPenn president amid allegations of antisemitism

This blog originally appeared at BBC.

Elizabeth Magill resigns as UPenn president amid controversy over her comments on antisemitism during a Congressional hearing.

Elizabeth Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, faced criticism for declining to specify consequences for students advocating the genocide of Jews during Congressional testimony.

The university announced that Elizabeth Magill had “voluntarily tendered her resignation,” and she will continue in her role until a successor is appointed.

Ms. Magill had issued an apology for her testimony.

She made the controversial remarks during her appearance before a House of Representatives committee on December 5 alongside the presidents of Harvard and MIT, Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth.

They were asked by Republican New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik: “Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate [your university’s] code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment? Yes or no?”

Ms Magill and her counterparts from MIT and Harvard repeatedly stated that it would depend on the “context” and have faced criticism for not unequivocally condemning any calls for the genocide of Jews.

American students navigate the complexities of free speech and concerns about antisemitism

The Congressional hearing occurred during campus protests triggered by the Israel-Gaza conflict and a surge in antisemitic incidents.

Statement: Ms. Magill apologized for her testimony, but calls for her resignation have continued.

Criticism from the White House and the withdrawal of a $100 million donation from a major donor, who expressed being “appalled” at Ms. Magill’s comments, have intensified calls for her resignation.

On Thursday, two Jewish students at the university filed a lawsuit, asserting that the campus has evolved into “an incubation lab for virulent anti-Jewish hatred, harassment, and discrimination.”

Ms. Magill’s resignation was confirmed by Scott L. Bok, chair of the Penn board of trustees. He stated that Ms. Magill would step down as president but “will remain a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law.”

Trustees were reportedly scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss Ms. Magill’s position.

Ms. Magill released a statement via the university, expressing, “It has been my privilege to serve as President of this remarkable institution.”

“It has been a privilege collaborating with our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members to further Penn’s essential missions,” Ms. Magill stated.

The University of Pennsylvania, commonly referred to as UPenn, stands as one of the oldest and most esteemed universities in the United States, belonging to the prestigious Ivy League alongside institutions like Harvard and Yale.