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(TJV) UPenn President Liz Magill has resigned Saturday after widespread public outrage over her testimony to Congress on antisemitism, Fox Business reported
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The Board of Trustees at the Ivy League institution convened an urgent session to address the repercussions of Magill’s problematic… pic.twitter.com/0IDqMC6FbE— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) December 8, 2023
The announcement came after days of intense pressure from Penn alumni and elected officials following Magill’s botched Capitol Hill testimony earlier in the week. After refusing, along with the presidents of Harvard and MIT, to unequivocally condemn calls for genocide of Jews, Magill reportedly faced the likelihood the school’s board of trustees would fire her as soon as Sunday, The Daily Pennsylvanian reports.
In an email sent to the Penn community around 4:30 p.m. today, Penn President Liz Magill announced her resignation. In her statement, Magill expressed gratitude for the privilege of serving as President and highlighted the honor of working with various members of the Penn community to advance the university’s missions.
Although Magill will step down from the presidency, she will continue as a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law. The University Board of Trustees, led by Chair Scott Bok, stated that plans for interim leadership will be shared in the coming days, with Magill staying on until an interim president is appointed. The resignation is voluntary, and Bok expressed appreciation for Magill’s service.
This development follows heightened national scrutiny over Magill’s remarks at a congressional hearing and comes almost two months after calls for her resignation from several alumni and donors following the Palestine Writes Literature Festival and events related to Israel. Magill’s resignation marks the first time a Penn president has voluntarily resigned for reasons other than a government appointment. It also makes her tenure the shortest in Penn’s history for a permanent University president. The announcement coincides with ongoing investigations and calls for leadership changes within the university.
Magill took office less than two years ago, succeeding former President Amy Gutmann. Her presidency faced criticism from some influential donors and instances of student activism. Despite these challenges, Magill announced a new strategic framework in November 2023, titled “In Principle and Practice: Penn’s Focus on Tomorrow,” which aims to shape the University’s future planning and initiatives.
