Liz Magill, a highly esteemed academic, was appointed as the 27th leader of the historic University of Pennsylvania nearly 300 years after its establishment. However, after a mere 20 months, she stepped down from her position in disgrace.
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Coming from a family deeply rooted in the legal profession, Magill had dedicated years to climb the ladder of academia. With an impressive background, Penn had placed great expectations on her. She had previously held the position of provost at the University of Virginia, where she had also studied law. Following her time as a clerk for former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she joined the law school faculty at UVa. Prior to her provost role at UVa, she had served as the Dean of Stanford Law School.
Despite having an impressive resume, it became clear that she lacked the necessary skills to navigate one of the campus's most serious crises.
Here are some of the key moments that ultimately led to Magill's resignation.
The Palestine Writes Literature Festival, which took place from September 22 to September 24 on campus, sparked controversy even before it started. Although the festival aimed to celebrate Palestinian culture, it was not organized by students, although students from UPenn and the Philadelphia area participated in its organization and volunteered.
Magill and the university's leadership faced significant backlash from prominent donors and the Anti-Defamation League regarding the festival's guest list. Critics argued that the invited speakers had a history of making antisemitic statements, an accusation that the university's administration conceded, but organizers and attendees vehemently denied.
The university did not organize the festival; however, it did release a statement condemning antisemitism prior to the event. The university believed in upholding the free exchange of ideas on its campus.
Donors were extremely angry, and their resentment towards Magill and the administration grew more intense as time passed.
After Hamas' attack on Israel in October 7th, donors expressed their anger towards Magill and the leadership of Penn. One after another, wealthy donors turned their backs on Magill and demanded her resignation.
Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, one of the university's top donors, was among the first to call for Magill's resignation. He urged other financial supporters to withhold donations from the university.
Rowan made it clear that his opposition to Magill was not solely based on Penn hosting the festival, but rather on her failure to strongly condemn it.
On October 12, leaders at Penn expressed their deep distress over the brutal attack carried out by Hamas against Israel. They described these acts as abhorrent, resulting in tragic loss of life and the escalation of violence and unrest in the region, according to a statement by Magill and Provost John Jackson, Jr.
Magill, in a separate statement on October 15, expressed that she and the university should have promptly condemned the views of the festival's speakers, further indicating that Penn should distance itself from the event. She acknowledged the pain that the presence of these speakers caused to the Jewish community on campus, saying that the university did not and does not endorse their views.
However, many donors saw Magill's statements as insufficient and belated. Prominent UPenn donors like former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman threatened to stop their financial support in protest. Billionaire Ronald Lauder, another influential supporter of the university, also warned that he would take similar action if stronger measures were not taken to combat antisemitism.
Amid escalating tensions caused by Hamas' attack and the subsequent war in Gaza, instances of antisemitism significantly increased not only at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) but also on college campuses nationwide.
To address the growing concerns on campus, Magill released an additional statement in late October, aiming to ease tensions within the community.
Magill unequivocally denounced any form of hate speech that belittles and disparages others, acknowledging its inconsistency with the university's values. In recognizing the distress experienced by fellow classmates and colleagues, Magill emphasized the importance of our words and actions, which can either negatively impact or positively heal our community. Encouraging a healing approach, Magill urged everyone to resist those who seek to divide us and instead prioritize respect and care for one another.
Taking proactive measures, on November 1, Magill unveiled an action plan specifically designed to combat the rise of antisemitism at UPenn.
However, later that same week, the University of Pennsylvania's police department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) jointly launched an investigation into a series of threatening emails containing antisemitic content, which had been sent to university staff. Additionally, antisemitic messages were discovered vandalizing various campus buildings.
Magill informed the university community via email that certain staff members at Penn had received terrible and deeply disturbing antisemitic threats. These threats specifically targeted members of the Jewish community at Penn Hillel and Lauder College House, attacking their personal identities.
On November 10, the Brandeis Center, a legal organization dedicated to Jewish civil rights, filed complaints with the US Department of Education. These complaints accused Penn of fostering a hostile environment for Jewish students and failing to adequately address instances of harassment against them.
The Brandeis complaint went on to state that Penn's campus has become a hostile place for Jewish students and has attracted anti-Semitic individuals from the community surrounding the university.
Towards the end of November, Magill, along with the presidents of MIT and Harvard, was invited by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce to testify regarding the escalating issue of antisemitism on college campuses.
On December 5, Magill and the other presidents were questioned by New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik about whether advocating for the genocide of Jews went against their schools' code of conduct on bullying or harassment. Their responses were met with strong criticism. The school leaders did not explicitly state that calling for the genocide of Jews would definitely violate their code of conduct, instead emphasizing that it would depend on the circumstances and behavior.
The reaction to their answers was immediate and widespread. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his disapproval of Magill's remarks, labeling them as "unacceptable" and "shameful." He called for a meeting of the UPenn board of trustees to discuss whether Magill's testimony aligns with the values of the university and the board.
Critics showed no change in their stance towards Magill. Stone Ridge Holdings CEO Ross Stevens, who is a major donor to Penn, wrote a letter threatening to take actions that would result in approximately $100 million in losses for the Ivy League school if Magill continued as president. The influential Wharton Board of Advisors also called for Magill's immediate removal. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, criticized Magill's attempt to clarify her testimony, comparing it to a hostage video, and demanded her resignation.
Over 70 members of Congress, from both parties, sent a letter to the boards of Harvard, MIT, and Penn, urging the dismissal of Magill and her counterparts at the other two universities. Although the board convened for an emergency meeting, Magill remained as president by its conclusion. However, her tenure was short-lived, as she and Board Chair Scott Bok resigned on Saturday evening.
According to CNN.
