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Liz Magill, the President of the University of Pennsylvania, has stepped down due to pressure from donors and backlash over her testimony during a congressional hearing. During the hearing, she was unable to confirm that advocating for the genocide of Jews on campus would go against the university’s code of conduct despite being repeatedly questioned about it.
Magill’s resignation as president of the Ivy League school was announced on Saturday via a statement on UPenn’s website by the board of trustees. This occurred during her second year in the position.
This is an update for breaking news. The previous story from AP is included below.
The governor of New York has urged colleges and universities in the state to promptly address instances of antisemitism and any statements advocating for genocide on their campuses. This comes after Ivy League presidents faced criticism for not sufficiently condemning threats of violence against Jewish students during a congressional hearing earlier this week.
Governor Kathy Hochul stated in a letter to the presidents of colleges and universities on Saturday that her administration will ensure that any violations of the state’s Human Rights Law are enforced. She also mentioned that any violations of federal civil rights law will be reported to U.S. officials.
The Governor of New York stated that colleges and universities that do not follow federal and state laws to protect students from discrimination may lose their eligibility to receive state and federal funds.
Hochul has communicated with the chancellors of the State University of New York and City University of New York about their public college systems. They have confirmed that advocating for genocide or allowing antisemitism goes against their codes of conduct and would result in prompt disciplinary measures.
The governor’s letter does not mention any particular events. However, she stated that the letter was written in reaction to remarks made on Tuesday by the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania during a lengthy and contentious congressional hearing on antisemitism.
The majority of the criticism revolved around a contentious series of inquiries from Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, who inquired multiple times if advocating for the extermination of Jews would be a violation of the code of conduct at each university.
According to Harvard President Claudine Gay, the appropriateness of speech depends on the situation. She also mentioned that if speech turns into actions that go against our policies, it is deemed unacceptable. However, she later expressed regret for not adequately condemning threats of violence towards Jewish students.
Liz Magill, the President of Penn, retracted her previous statements on Wednesday, stating that she would classify a call for the genocide of Jewish individuals as harassment or intimidation. She also announced plans to review Penn’s policies.
U.S. universities have been criticized for not adequately safeguarding Jewish students, as there have been increasing reports of antisemitism in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
“I, along with many Americans, was taken aback this week by the presidents of various prestigious universities who, as educators, hold the duty of shaping the minds of our future leaders. However, they failed to strongly condemn acts of antisemitism and calls for the genocide of the Jewish community on their college campuses,” stated Hochul in her correspondence.
The Buffalo Democrat has initiated an external assessment of CUNY’s policies on antisemitism and discrimination. The review, conducted by a former chief justice of New York’s top court, will evaluate the handling of complaints related to antisemitism and provide suggestions for how university administrators can improve the safety and support for Jewish students and faculty.
The New York Civil Liberties Union stated on Saturday the importance for school administrators to differentiate between students expressing criticism towards Israel and advocating for Palestinian rights, and making calls for violence.
“As a form of political discourse that scrutinizes a government’s actions, it is deemed a fundamental form of political expression and therefore safeguarded,” stated Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the advocacy group, in an email. “Schools are responsible for safeguarding both the well-being of their students and their freedom of expression.”
Hochul’s office did not promptly reply to an email requesting a response.
A frequently used chant at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities such as Penn has been incorrectly portrayed as advocating for “Jewish genocide” in recent months.
According to experts and advocates, the common chant at pro-Palestinian rallies of “Israel, we charge you with genocide” is acknowledged by both Jewish and Palestinian supporters, who clarify that it is not a call for Jewish genocide.
Source: independent.co.uk
