Penn President Liz Magill Faces Pressure to Resign After Antisemitism Debacle
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The University of Pennsylvania president, Liz Magill, is under pressure to resign after evading questions about antisemitism during a congressional hearing.
- A donor has threatened to withdraw $100 million in funding if Magill does not step down.
- The trouble began when Penn became the center of antisemitic protests after a Hamas terror attack on Israel.
- Magill's comments during the hearing prompted the House Workforce and Education Committee to launch a broader investigation.
- The White House and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro have condemned the university leaders' performance.
SUMMARY
University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill is facing pressure to resign after evading questions about antisemitism on campus during a hearing on Capitol Hill. A donor has threatened to pull $100 million from the university if she does not step down. The trouble arose when Penn became the epicenter of antisemitic protests after a Hamas terror attack on Israel. Magill's comments during the hearing led to a decision by the House Workforce and Education Committee to launch a broader investigation. The White House and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro have condemned the university leaders' performance. Students and staff have protested outside Magill's office, calling on her to resign. The University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees held an emergency meeting following backlash against the school's president, Liz Magill, over her comments on antisemitism during a congressional hearing. Magill was asked if calling for the genocide of Jews violates the school's rules or code of conduct, to which she responded that it could be considered harassment. After facing criticism, Magill later walked back her comments in a video posted online. The emergency meeting concluded with Magill still in her position as president. The situation has drawn criticism from Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who called Magill's comments 'unacceptable.' The University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill is facing criticism and calls for resignation after her testimony during a congressional hearing on antisemitism. The House Education and Workforce Committee has announced an investigation into UPenn, MIT, and Harvard, with House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik calling their presidents' testimony 'pathetic and morally bankrupt.' The backlash is related to their handling of antisemitism on campus, and the universities are now under scrutiny for their response to the issue.