Pennsylvania president resigns after refusing to take anti-Zionism disciplinary action at U.S. university
The president of the University of Pennsylvania resigned for the first time in a Republican attack calling for college students to be disciplined for anti-Semitic intifada, and the Jewish far-right ideology that imposes restrictions on “freedom of expression” in the United States became grouped.
At a congressional hearing on the 5th, University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill, along with the presidents of Harvard and MIT, responded legally to questions from right-wing lawmakers regarding the disciplinary action of students who called for anti-Semitism by using "freedom of the press," and this was criticized by political circles joined by large donors and the Democratic Party. Four days later, on the 9th, he resigned along with the foundation chairman.
At a U.S. Congressional hearing on “disciplinary action against anti-Semitism in universities,” President Magill responded, “Decisions must be made according to the situation,” and eventually resigned after the U.S. media accused him of “avoiding questions.”
The responses to questions from the congressional hearing provided by the New York Times are as follows.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Ky., asks, "Does calling for the genocide of Jews constitute bullying or harassment?" When asked, Magill responded, "If it is direct, serious and pervasive, it is harassment."
Rep. Stefanik responded, “So the answer is ‘yes,’” and President Magill said, “We have to decide based on the situation.”
Rep. Stefanik asked, "Is that your testimony today? Does the call for the extermination of Jews depend on the context?"
Harvard and MIT refused to discipline antisemitism on campus, led by Republicans in Congress. At the Education and Labor Committee hearing on this day, President Magill testified that Harvard President Claudine Gay and MIT President Sally Kornbluth made similar statements, but President Magill focused his attacks. got hit
NYT said, “Three university presidents testified that recent protests on campus have turned ugly due to clashes between students who support Israel and those who support Palestine,” and “However, there is no need to discipline students who made comments about genocide.” “We provided a legal response to the issue in relation to freedom of speech,” he said.
The NYT continued, “Free speech organizations say it is legally correct, but for many Jewish students, alumni and donors, the statement from university leaders fails to clearly and forcefully condemn antisemitism.”
Representative Stefanik, a New York Republican who led the questioning at the hearing, said, “Students have been shouting support for the intifada, which means uprising in Arabic, and many Jews are hearing calls for violence against them,” and asked President Magill, “ “Does calling for the extermination of Jews constitute bullying or harassment?” he asked.
Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Democratic Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey joined in the criticism of President Magill's answers of ‘prioritizing freedom of expression’ and ‘differentiating discipline within universities’, and the situation turned into an attack.
President Magill said the next day (the 6th), "At that moment, I was focusing on our university's long-standing policy that complies with the U.S. Constitution, which is that speech alone cannot be punished," and "I believe that calling for the genocide of Jews is something that no human being can commit." "It did not focus, but it should have, on the irrefutable fact that it is a call for the most horrific violence there is. It is evil - plain and simple. In my view, it amounts to harassment and intimidation," he said in a statement.
On the 8th, more than 70 members of Congress asked the trustees of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania to "immediately fire" the three presidents who attended the hearing and "provide a workable plan to ensure Jewish and Israeli students, teachers, and faculty are safe on campus." He signed the letter saying, “I will do it.”
Soon after, hedge fund manager Ross L. Stevens, one of the University of Pennsylvania's largest donors who has criticized the school's lukewarm response to antisemitism on campus, announced the withdrawal of $100 million worth of donations.
Then, on the 9th, more than 26,000 people signed a petition 'opposing the president's leadership', President Magill subsequently resigned, and University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees Chairman Scott L. Bok said in a statement, "President Magill will serve as the president of the University of Pennsylvania until the university selects an interim president." “I will serve as a leader and remain a law school professor,” he said.
Chairman Bok also announced his resignation as Chairman of the Board on this day, immediately after President Magill's announcement of his resignation.
President Magill is a lawyer and advocate for freedom of the press. He became president of the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 after writing a pledge to "promote freedom of speech on campus." In response to Intipata's disciplinary inquiry, he said, "If those words turn into actions, they can become harassment." I responded, but became the target of intensive attacks.
Attorney General Magill's legal response was attacked: "If it is direct, serious and pervasive, it is harassment."
Democratic Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said in a statement, "Mr. Magill's comments yesterday were offensive, but what he did not say was equally offensive. The right to free speech is fundamental, but calling for the extermination of Jews is anti-Semitism and harassment." “It is,” he said.
Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, condemned the remarks in his statement, saying, "There is no 'two-facedism' and it is not 'free speech,' it is simply hate speech."
Prior to his appointment, President Magill served as executive vice president and dean at the University of Virginia, and prior to that, he was a professor and dean of Stanford Law School.