Magill's turbulent tenure: What we know about Penn president who resigned due to antisemitism row

On December 9th, 2023, Elizabeth Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, resigned amidst a firestorm of criticism surrounding her handling of antisemitism on campus. 

This unexpected turn of events marked the first time a major university president stepped down due to this specific issue, generating significant attention and sparking discussions about free speech, academic freedom, and the responsibility of universities to ensure an inclusive environment for all students.

Here is what you need to know about Magill 

Magill assumed the presidency of Penn in July 2022, bringing with her a distinguished career in academia and law. Before joining Penn, she served as executive vice president and provost at the University of Virginia and held the position of professor and dean at Stanford Law School. Her legal expertise lies in administrative and constitutional law, and she holds a bachelor's degree in history from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Virginia.

According a report from the New York Times, she is an expert on US constitutional law and administrative law. After graduating from law school, she clerked for numerous judges, including US Supreme Court's famous liberal judge, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Controversy didn't begin with the Congressional hearings

The controversy surrounding Magill's leadership began during the summer of 2023. This is before the October 7 attack. Penn was scheduled to host a Palestinian literary conference featuring several speakers with a history of expressing antisemitic views. This decision drew strong criticism from donors and alumni who urged Magill to cancel the event. However, citing the importance of free speech and academic freedom, she allowed the conference to proceed.

The Congressional hearings

In October 2023, following Hamas attacks on Israel and subsequent protests on campus, Magill faced further criticism for her initial response, which some deemed insufficiently forceful. Additionally, several antisemitic incidents occurred on campus, raising questions about the university's commitment to addressing this issue.

The culmination of these events came in December when Magill testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, along with presidents of Harvard and MIT. During the hearing, she was questioned about her handling of antisemitism, including the conference and recent incidents. Her responses, particularly regarding disciplining students for antisemitic speech, were deemed unsatisfactory by many, including Jewish students, alumni, and politicians.

The most notable was her interaction with Representative Elise Stefanik (R.NY). Stefanik asked, “Calling for the genocide of Jews, does that constitute bullying or harassment?”

Magill replied, “If it is directed and severe, pervasive, it is harassment.” Stefanik responded, “So the answer is yes.” Ms. Magill, to the shock of numerous people around the world, said, “It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman.” Stefanik seemed aghast. She said “That’s your testimony today? Calling for the genocide of Jews is depending upon the context?” It is worth noting that Ms. Gay of Harvard and Ms. Kornbluth of MIT gave answers that were quite similar to those made by Magill.

A look at the consequences of the Congressional hearings

Following the hearing, Magill faced a torrent of criticism. Her initial apology was deemed inadequate, and calls for her resignation grew louder. Prominent figures like Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey joined the chorus of disapproval. Additionally, major donors threatened to withhold their financial support, and a petition demanding her removal garnered over 26,000 signatures.

In the face of this overwhelming pressure, Magill resigned on December 9th. She expressed regret for her handling of the situation and acknowledged the need for stronger measures to address antisemitism on campus. As of now, it isn't clear if the presidents of Harvard and MIT will share her fate. 

A group of 74 US lawmakers had written a letter to the 3 universities, stating quite clearly that the presidents needs to go. It is worth stressing that the cancer of antisemitism doesn't ail just these 3 universities. They are receiving a lot of attention right now because the congressional hearing went viral. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) has said that he wants to look into “other Ivy [League] colleges as well”.