In a shocking turn of events for the head of one of the world’s most esteemed universities, Liz Magill, the president of the University of Pennsylvania, chose to step down from her position at the helm of the Ivy League institution on Saturday. This decision came in the wake of significant criticism for her testimony on Capitol Hill regarding antisemitism. Board Chair Scott Bok also tendered his resignation on the same day.
Expressing her sentiments, Magill stated in a release, “It has been my privilege to serve as President of this remarkable institution. It has been an honor to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members to advance Penn’s vital missions.”
While stepping down as president, Magill will maintain a role within Penn’s faculty as a tenured professor at Penn Carey Law School. a shocking turn
“In light of President Magill’s service to the University, we extend our gratitude on behalf of the entire Penn community and wish her well,” stated Bok in an official release. “Magill’s regrettable misstep, in line with that of two peer university leaders present alongside her, occurred following five hours of rigorous questioning before a Congressional committee. Subsequent to this, it became evident that her position was no longer sustainable, and she and I jointly concluded that it was time for her to step down.”
Magill will continue to serve as interim president until the appointment of a new interim leader. Despite numerous calls for Magill’s resignation, Penn reportedly lacked a succession plan, as per a source informed by CNN.
This abrupt resignation signifies an unexpected downfall for the long-time academic leader. While Magill had faced criticism for months over her handling of antisemitism at the university, the tipping point was her challenging testimony before Congress on Tuesday.
During the testimony, Magill struggled to provide clear answers about whether calls for genocide against Jews would violate UPenn’s code of conduct. She and other university presidents failed to explicitly state that calls for genocide of Jewish people constituted bullying and harassment on campus. The widely circulated exchange led to a wave of demands from business leaders, donors, and politicians for Magill to step down.
“It was time for President Magill to resign,” remarked Vahan Gureghian, a former Penn trustee who had resigned in October to protest the university’s handling of a controversial Palestinian literature festival held on campus. Gureghian had also called for Bok’s resignation on Saturday, emphasizing that he was “where the buck stops.”
The resignations of Magill and Bok precede a scheduled emergency virtual meeting of the University of Pennsylvania’s board of trustees, set to take place on Sunday at 5 pm ET, according to sources familiar with the matter as reported by the Daily Pennsylvanian and the Philadelphia Inquirer.