University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill speaks during a House Committee on Education hearing on Capitol Hill on Dec. 5.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
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Mark Schiefelbein/AP
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill speaks during a House Committee on Education hearing on Capitol Hill on Dec. 5.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Liz Magill, the president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned Saturday — days after her congressional testimony on anti-Semitism drew a fierce backlash from students, faculty and donors.
Scott Bogue, chairman of the university’s board of trustees, announced the decision In a letter to the school community. A university spokesperson said Bogue has also submitted his resignation.
“It is my privilege to serve as president of this remarkable institution. It is an honor to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members to advance Penn’s mission,” Magill said in a statement. Letter of departure.
In a separate letter received by Daily PennsylvanianBock wrote: “When I was asked to remain in that role for the remainder of my term to help with the presidential transition, I decided that now was the right time for me to step down.”
Bock added that he stood with Mahil, describing him as a “good man” and “not the least bit anti-Semitic.”
“Overprepared, given a hostile forum and high stakes, he gave a legal answer to a moral question that was wrong. A terrible 30-second sound bite in five hours of testimony.” Bok said, step Daily Pennsylvanian.
He added that it was time for him and Mahil to step down “at the same time”.
According to Bock, Mahil will serve as interim president until a new person is appointed. He will also be a faculty member at McGill Penn Carey Law School. Bock said the university will share details about the interim leadership “in the coming days.”
Mahil’s resignation comes less than a year and a half into her tenure Appointed as president.
On Tuesday, the leaders of McGill and Harvard and MIT testified before Congress about how they protect students from anti-Semitism on their campuses. Criticism soon arose about how university leaders responded to a question about whether “calling for the genocide of the Jews” violated the university’s code of conduct.
After Magill’s comments, six members of Congress from Pennsylvania sent a letter to the school’s board of trustees asking for Magill’s resignation. Rose Stevens, a hedge fund manager, threatened to receive a $100 million donation from the University of Pennsylvania.
In a statement, the chairman of the House Education Committee, which led the inquiry, Rep. Virginia Fox, RN.C., said she approved Mahil’s resignation.
“When asked whether calling for the genocide of the Jews violated Eupen’s code of conduct during our investigation into anti-Semitism, President McGill had three chances. Instead of pledging yes to the question, he chose to compromise,” Fox said. Saturday.
Concerns about Mahil’s leadership had been growing for months — even before war broke out between Israel and Hamas. In September, there was Mag Criticized For an event on campus, they invited speakers with a history of anti-Semitic ideas and behavior. The event, which focuses on celebrating Palestinian culture, was scheduled to end just before the start of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
NPR’s Sequoia Carrillo contributed reporting.
