What did Liz Magill say? UPenn President resignation calls intensify as major donor threatens taking back $100 million donation

Liz Magill is recently facing criticism (Image via Facebook / Liz Magill)
Liz Magill is recently facing criticism (Image via Facebook / Liz Magill)

The University of Pennsylvania's current president, Liz Magill, has come under fire for her responses to repeated questions on Tuesday, December 5. The hearing was regarding whether or not advocating for the genocide of Jews is against Penn policy or the university's code of conduct.

"Specifically calling for the genocide of Jews, does that constitute bullying or harassment?" Rep. Elise Stefanik posed this question to Magill during the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing.

As a reply, Liz Magill said that harassment occurs when behavior is intentional, harsh, and widespread. When Stefanik asked if the answer is affirmative, Magill said that the choice depends on the circumstances.

According to a letter acquired by Fox News Digital, following this incident, the board of Penn's Wharton Business School has requested her to quit. The letter, dated Wednesday, December 6, refers to Liz Magill's dismal testimony before Congress regarding this antisemitism.

In addition, as per CBS News, well-known contributor Ross Stevens threatened to reclaim a $100 million donation due to this incident. The institution's Board of trustees met in an emergency session on Thursday, December 7.

Moreover, the influential Wharton Board of Advisors also demanded a leadership change at the institution, which oversees the illustrious business school.


Liz Magill resigned as the President of UPenn after facing harsh criticism over her "antisemitism" comment

Liz Magill resigned as the President of UPenn (Image via Instagram / pennpresident)
Liz Magill resigned as the President of UPenn (Image via Instagram / pennpresident)

When Rep. Elise Stefanik pressed Liz Magill to denounce demands for the destruction of Jews during a Tuesday hearing, Magill appeared incapable of doing so. As a result, she has come under fire.

Magill acknowledged throughout the hearing that she believed demands for the murder of Jews would be harassment or intimidation, even if she did not provide a definitive response.

However, following this episode, she received a letter from the board asking her to submit her resignation letter to the board.

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According to Fox News, the letter said:

"As a result of the University leadership's stated beliefs and collective failure to act, our board respectfully suggests to you and the Board of Trustees that the University requires new leadership with immediate effect”.

According to the same source, the board has also stated that they have been and continue to be extremely worried about the hazardous and poisonous culture on campus, which is controlled by a small number of students and staff members and has been approved by the university administration.

They added that the University's leadership does not share the principles of the Board, as was verified in Liz Magill's appearance before Congress the previous day.

The board additionally stated:

"In light of your testimony yesterday before Congress, we demand the University clarify its position regarding any call for harm to any group of people immediately, change any policies that allow such conduct with immediate effect, and discipline all offenders expeditiously”.
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The UPenn president's troubles with how she handled antisemitism on campus grew more intense on Thursday when a significant benefactor, Ross Stevens, threatened to withhold a $100 million grant.

According to CBS News, Stevens stated in a memo to the staff members that he would cancel Penn's $100 million worth of shares in his business "absent a change in leadership and values at Penn very soon".

The alert was issued with the beginning of a congressional panel's investigation into Penn's policies on harassment of Jewish students, as well as those of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.


Following harsh criticism for her remarks that she made during the hearing regarding antisemitism on campuses, Liz Magill later responded online in a video. She said:

"I want to be clear, a call for violence to Jewish people is threatening, deeply so. It is intentionally meant to terrify a people who have been subjected to pogroms and hatred for centuries and were the victims of mass genocide in the holocaust".

In response, Liz Magill also stated that while she was concentrating on upholding Penn's laws and constitutionally based policies at the time, she acknowledged that these rules needed to be explained and re-evaluated in light of the indicators of hate spreading.

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Edited by Arshjot Kaur Nagpal
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