Liz Magill Steps Down as President of UPenn Following Controversial Hearing on Antisemitism

After facing extensive criticism for her testimony on Capitol Hill regarding antisemitism, Liz Magill, the president of the University of Pennsylvania, made the decision to step down from her position on Saturday. In a statement, Magill expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the prestigious institution and work towards its important goals alongside faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members.

Magill will continue as interim president until a new leader is appointed. Despite numerous calls for Magill's resignation, Penn did not have a succession plan in place, as per a source who spoke to CNN.

The sudden resignation marks a surprising downfall for the esteemed academic. While under fire for months over her handling of antisemitism on campus, her disastrous testimony before Congress on Tuesday was the final straw.

Magill's struggle to address whether advocating for the genocide of Jews would violate UPenn's code of conduct, and her failure, along with other university presidents, to explicitly denounce such calls as bullying and harassment on campus, went viral. The incident led to a wave of demands from business leaders, donors, and politicians for Magill to step down.

Her resignation occurred a day before the University of Pennsylvania's board of trustees was scheduled to meet virtually on Sunday, according to two sources familiar with the situation. The news of the emergency board meeting was initially reported by the Penn student newspaper, the Daily Pennsylvanian, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, with the meeting scheduled for 5 pm ET on Sunday.

Flood of rebuke

The meeting did not provide clarity on whether Magill's future would be discussed, but given the overwhelming criticism, it is difficult to imagine that Magill's future was not intended to be a key focus.

More than 70 members of Congress, from both parties, sent a letter to the board members of Penn, Harvard, and MIT on Friday, demanding the removal of Magill and her counterparts.

The lawmakers insisted that, in light of the current crisis, the university presidents be immediately removed from their positions and that a plan be provided to ensure the safety of Jewish and Israeli students, teachers, and faculty on campus. They condemned the responses of the presidents to questions about the increasing antisemitism on college campuses as "abhorrent."

The powerful Wharton Advisory Board and former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman both emphasized the importance of removing Magill, with Huntsman telling CNN that it is not even up for discussion. Mega donor Ross Stevens has also threatened to withdraw a substantial gift, currently estimated to be worth around $100 million in shares, if Magill remains in his position.

Magill, alongside the presidents of Harvard and MIT, received significant backlash for her testimony before Congress this week. The congressional hearing centered on the issue of antisemitism on college campuses, with previous criticism directed towards the presidents for not adequately protecting Jewish students and others at their institutions.

Criticism from donors, politicians, alumni and business leaders has been directed mainly at Magill, despite her efforts to clarify her remarks on Wednesday.

Magill never apologized for her testimony.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.