University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill — under increasing pressure from both donors and the White House after her scathing testimony before Congress this week about the school’s failure to protect Jewish students — and Scott L. Bok, chairman of its board of trustees, “voluntarily ” resigned their positions Saturday in a major Ivy League shakeup, the school announced.
“I am writing to share that President Liz Magill has voluntarily submitted her resignation as President of the University of Pennsylvania,” Bok wrote in a surprise “University Notice” sent to staff on Saturday.
“He will remain a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law,” Bok continued.
“On behalf of the entire Penn community, I would like to thank President Magill for his service to the University as President and wish him the best of luck.
“We will be in touch over the next few days to share plans for Penn’s interim leadership. President Magill has agreed to stay on until an interim president is appointed.
“President Magill shared the following statement, which I include here: ‘It has been my privilege to serve as President of this extraordinary institution. It is an honor to work with faculty, students, staff, alumni and members of our community to advance Penn’s important mission.’”
Bok’s separate resignation statement was obtained by the Daily Pennsylvanian, the school’s student newspaper.
“Work with [Magill] was one of the great pleasures of my life,” he wrote. “Weary of months of non-stop outside attacks, he was not himself last Tuesday.”
UPenn President Liz Magill has resigned. Getty Images Chair of the UPenn board of trustees Scott Bok has also resigned. REUTERS Magill resigns under enormous donor and political pressure. Robert Miller
Magill’s sudden departure comes four days after his appearance Tuesday before the House Education Committee, when he and the presidents of Harvard and MIT were grilled by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) – who asked each of them whether calling for the genocide of Jews was considered “bullying and harassment” under their college’s code of conduct.
“It’s a decision that depends on the context, Congressman,” Magill replied – sparking outrage among donors and others. A source close to the situation told The Post that the mood was somber Saturday when 27 Penn trustees met for two hours without the knowledge of Magill or Bok and decided to recommend that he consider his resignation.
Bok announced his resignation immediately during a call with trustees, the source said – without giving vice-chairman Julie Platt any warning before hanging up.
Platt will serve as acting chairman, and the executive committee will present a “forward plan” on Sunday.
Larry Jameson, dean of Penn’s medical school, was mentioned by some trustees as a possible interim president.
The university announced the news in a letter to the Penn community.
Stefanik issued a rousing response when news of Magill’s resignation broke. Two more,” the congressman said posted on X.
“This is just the beginning of addressing the rampant rot of antisemitism that has destroyed America’s most ‘prestigious’ institution of higher learning,” Stefanik – a Harvard graduate – wrote.
Keep up with the news on the Israel-Hamas war and the surge in global antisemitism with The Post’s Israel War Updates, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“These universities can expect a robust and comprehensive Congressional investigation into all aspects of their institutions that engage in antisemitism including administration, faculty, funding, and overall leadership and governance,” he promised.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
