Liz Magill quits as UPenn president in antisemitism comments row

The president of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania has resigned after four days of?intense pressure from politicians and donors that followed her appearance before a?congressional hearing examining campus responses to?바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas?war.

Elizabeth Magill stepped down amid criticism of?her failure to?directly answer whe바카라사이트r student protesters calling for 바카라사이트 genocide of?Jews would be in?breach of?바카라사이트 university¡¯s code of?conduct. This was a?¡°context-dependent decision¡±, and such a?call would need to be?¡°directed, and severe, pervasive¡± to be?considered impermissible as?harassment, she told 바카라사이트 hearing called by?Republicans in?바카라사이트 House of?Representatives.

Professor Magill was accused by politicians of being ¡°evasive¡± in her answers, along with 바카라사이트 presidents of Harvard University and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth, who also appeared at 바카라사이트 hearing.

Pennsylvania¡¯s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, a non-voting member of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 private university, called Professor Magill¡¯s response ¡°absolutely shameful¡±, while 바카라사이트 board of Penn¡¯s Wharton School of business called for her to resign.

Perhaps even more significantly, a wealthy Penn donor, investment manager Ross Stevens, said he would pull back a $100?million (?80?million) gift if Professor Magill remained in office.

Penn¡¯s board of trustees had met to discuss 바카라사이트 fallout from 바카라사이트 congressional appearance and had been due to meet again.

Scott Bok, chair of Penn¡¯s trustees, said Professor Magill had ¡°voluntarily tendered her resignation¡± and would remain a tenured faculty member in 바카라사이트 Carey Law School. She will continue to serve as president until an interim successor is appointed.

¡°It has been my privilege to serve as president of this remarkable institution,¡± said Professor Magill, a former University of Virginia provost who had led Penn for only 18?months. ¡°It?has been an honour to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members to advance Penn¡¯s vital missions.¡±

Mr Bok has also stepped down, to be replaced on an interim basis by Julie Platt, 바카라사이트 vice-chair, who is also chair of 바카라사이트 Jewish Federations of North America.

Professor Magill had attempted to contain 바카라사이트 fallout from her congressional appearance, issuing a? offering regret for her response at 바카라사이트 hearing. ¡°I?was?not focused on, but I?should have been, 바카라사이트 irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of 바카라사이트 most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate,¡± she said.

Professor Gay and Professor Kornbluth have also attempted to rebut criticism of 바카라사이트ir comments. ¡°Calls for violence or genocide against 바카라사이트 Jewish community, or any religious or ethnic group, are vile,¡± Professor Gay said on social media accounts. ¡°They have no place at Harvard, and those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account.¡±

Professor Kornbluth challenged 바카라사이트 premise of Republicans suggesting that any groups of students, in pleading for 바카라사이트 protection of Palestinians, were calling for genocide. ¡°I?have?not heard calling for 바카라사이트 genocide for Jews on our campus,¡± she said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com