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UPenn president resigns after answers to Congress about antisemitism on campus draw sharp criticism

UPenn president resigns after answers to Congress about antisemitism on campus draw sharp criticism
LAKEVILLE. I’M MARY SALADNA W WCVB NEWSCENTER FIVE. MARY, THANK YOU. THE LEADERS OF HARVARD, MIT AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN UNDER FIRE THIS WEEK AFTER CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM ON THOSE THREE CAMPUSES. TONIGHT, SITE 70 FOR US REPRESENTS HAVE SIGNED A LETTER CALLING ON ALL OF THEM TO RESIGN. THAT LETTER SAYING, QUOTE, WE DEMAND THAT YOUR BOARDS IMMEDIATELY REMOVE EACH OF THESE PRESIDENTS FROM THEIR POSITIONS ARE. JOHN ATWATER IS LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE WITH THE FALLOUT THERE. JOHN. WELL, MARIA, HARVARD’S PRESIDENT HAS NOW APOLOGIZED, BUT IT’S NOT CLEAR IF THAT’S GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO CALM THIS CONTROVERSY. UNPLEASED WITH WITH HOW SHE’S GONE ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION, FRUSTRATION AMONG HARVARD STUDENTS IS CONTROVERSY OVER ANTI-SEMITISM ON CAMPUS GROWS DEEPER NOW. LAWMAKERS ARE CALLING ON HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY TO RESIGN, ALONG WITH THE PRESIDENTS OF MIT AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE LETTER SIGNED BY THREE DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, ALONG WITH MORE THAN 70 REPUBLICAN, IS COMES AFTER A TENSE HEARING ON CAPITOL HILL THIS WEEK. DOES THAT SPEECH NOT CALL FOR THE GENOCIDE OF -- AND THE ELIMINATION OF ISRAEL? THE SCHOOL’S PRESIDENTS DID NOT EXPLICITLY SAY THAT, CALLING FOR THE GENOCIDE OF -- WOULD VIOLATE THEIR CODES OF CONDUCT. WE EMBRACE A COMMITMENT TO FREE EXPRESSION. AFTER SWIFT BACKLASH, HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY APOLOGIZED. BUT FOR SOME ON CAMPUS, IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH. IF SHE KEEPS TRYING TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. AND I THINK SHE’S KIND OF SAID TOO MUCH FOR THAT AT THIS POINT. THE GOVERNING BOARD OF MIT SAYS IT STANDS BEHIND ITS PRESIDENT, SALLY KORNBLUTH, SAYING SHE HAS OUR FULL AND UNRESERVED SUPPORT. AND ON HARVARD’S CAMPUS, SOME AREN’T SURE THAT FORCING OUT THE PRESIDENT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT HER TO RESIGN OVER, AND I DON’T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE SCHOOL. SO NOW WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO HARVARD, BUT S
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UPenn president resigns after answers to Congress about antisemitism on campus draw sharp criticism
The University of Pennsylvania’s president has resigned amid pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.The departure of Liz Magill, in her second year as president of the Ivy League school, was announced by the school late Saturday afternoon. The statement said Magill will remain a tenured faculty member at the university’s Carey Law School.Calls for her resignation exploded after Tuesday’s testimony in a U.S. House committee on antisemitism on college campuses, where she appeared with the presidents of Harvard University and MIT.Blowback focused on a line of questioning from Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who repeatedly asked whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate Penn’s code of conduct.“If the speech turns into conduct it can be harassment, yes,” Pressed further, Magill told Stefanik, “It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman.”Criticism rained down from the White House, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, members of Congress and donors. One donor, Ross Stevens, threatened to withdraw a $100 million gift because of the university’s “stance on antisemitism on campus” unless Magill was replaced.A day later, Magill addressed the criticism, saying in a video that she would consider a call for the genocide of Jewish people to be harassment or intimidation and that Penn’s policies need to be “clarified and evaluated.”Magill had been under fire from some donors and alumni this fall over the university’s handling of various perceived acts of antisemitism.That included allowing a Palestinian literary arts festival to be held on its campus in September featuring speakers whose past statements about Israel had drawn accusations of antisemitism.A former U.S. Supreme Court law clerk, Magill, 57, is the daughter of a retired federal judge and was dean of Stanford University’s law school and a top administrator at the University of Virginia before Penn hired her as its ninth president last year.Earlier Saturday, New York's governor called on the state's colleges and universities to swiftly address cases of antisemitism and what she described as any “calls for genocide” on campus.In a letter to college and university presidents, Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration would enforce violations of the state's Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials.Hochul said she has spoken to chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York public college systems who she said confirmed “that calling for genocide of any group” or tolerating antisemitism violates codes of conduct on their campuses “and would lead to swift disciplinary action.”The governor's letter doesn't address any specific incidents. Her office didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.A popular chant at pro-Palestinian rallies at Penn and other universities has been falsely misrepresented in recent months as claiming to call for “Jewish genocide.”Experts and advocates say the chant, “Israel, we charge you with genocide,” is a typical refrain heard at pro-Palestinian rallies. Jewish and Palestinian supporters both acknowledge protesters aren’t saying “We want Jewish genocide.”

The University of Pennsylvania’s president has resigned amid pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy.

The departure of Liz Magill, in her second year as president of the Ivy League school, was announced by the school late Saturday afternoon. The statement said Magill will remain a tenured faculty member at the university’s Carey Law School.

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Calls for her resignation exploded after Tuesday’s testimony in a U.S. House committee on antisemitism on college campuses, where she appeared with the presidents of Harvard University and MIT.

Blowback focused on a line of questioning from Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who repeatedly asked whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” would violate Penn’s code of conduct.

“If the speech turns into conduct it can be harassment, yes,” Pressed further, Magill told Stefanik, “It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman.”

Criticism rained down from the White House, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, members of Congress and donors. One donor, Ross Stevens, threatened to withdraw a $100 million gift because of the university’s “stance on antisemitism on campus” unless Magill was replaced.

A day later, Magill addressed the criticism, saying in a video that she would consider a call for the genocide of Jewish people to be harassment or intimidation and that Penn’s policies need to be “clarified and evaluated.”

University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill listens during a hearing of the House Committee on Education on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Mark Schiefelbein
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill listens during a hearing of the House Committee on Education on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 in Washington.

Magill had been under fire from some donors and alumni this fall over the university’s handling of various perceived acts of antisemitism.

That included allowing a Palestinian literary arts festival to be held on its campus in September featuring speakers whose past statements about Israel had drawn accusations of antisemitism.

A former U.S. Supreme Court law clerk, Magill, 57, is the daughter of a retired federal judge and was dean of Stanford University’s law school and a top administrator at the University of Virginia before Penn hired her as its ninth president last year.

Earlier Saturday, New York's governor called on the state's colleges and universities to swiftly address cases of antisemitism and what she described as any “calls for genocide” on campus.

In a letter to college and university presidents, Gov. Kathy Hochul said her administration would enforce violations of the state's Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials.

Hochul said she has spoken to chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York public college systems who she said confirmed “that calling for genocide of any group” or tolerating antisemitism violates codes of conduct on their campuses “and would lead to swift disciplinary action.”

The governor's letter doesn't address any specific incidents. Her office didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

A popular chant at pro-Palestinian rallies at Penn and other universities has been falsely misrepresented in recent months as claiming to call for “Jewish genocide.”

Experts and advocates say the chant, “Israel, we charge you with genocide,” is a typical refrain heard at pro-Palestinian rallies. Jewish and Palestinian supporters both acknowledge protesters aren’t saying “We want Jewish genocide.”