Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who led the hearings that led to the resignation of the president of the University of Pennsylvania, said she expects the same from the presidents of Harvard and MIT.
Former UPenn President Liz Magill resigned from her post at the Ivy League institution after her controversial statement about anti-Semitism on campus sparked intense backlash.
Stefanik, who has repeatedly tried to get presidents to condemn statements that promote genocide against Jewish people, said in a post on X that she wasn't done yet.
'One down. Two more,” she wrote. “This is just the beginning in combating the pervasive rot of anti-Semitism that has destroyed America's most 'prestigious' higher education institutions.”
Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager and Harvard graduate who led the movement to abolish progressive university leaders, made similar comments.
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who led the hearings that led to the resignation of the president of the University of Pennsylvania, said she expects the same from the presidents of Harvard and MIT
“There is hope for Penn,” he wrote.
“Now the focus turns to Presidents Gay and Kornbluth and the boards of Harvard and MIT,” Ackman added.
Similar sentiments came from other members of Congress, including Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin.
“Penn President Liz Magill is out!” Harvard and MIT must follow suit. “Any university president who provides refuge and protection to students who call for genocide against the Jews should be removed from office immediately.”
Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez followed: “President Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania has resigned, as has the president of the Board of Trustees.”
“Former President Magill should take Claudine Gay from Harvard and Sally Kornbluth from MIT,” he added. “Your failure to condemn genocide is beyond disgraceful!”
Magill, along with the presidents of Harvard and MIT, were called before the House Education and Workforce Committee on Tuesday by lawmakers concerned about reports of a rise in anti-Semitism at leading universities.
They were questioned heatedly by committee chairman Stefanik, but failed to argue that calls for genocide against Jews on campus would definitely constitute harassment.
Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager and Harvard graduate who led the movement to abolish progressive university leaders, made similar comments
After international outcry, including more than 70 lawmakers calling for her resignation, Magill resigned on Saturday.
Now the pressure is mounting on the presidents of Harvard and MIT, whose statements largely echoed Magill's, with Congresswoman Stefanik writing “One down.” Two more on X.
“This is just the beginning of combating the pervasive rot of anti-Semitism that has destroyed America's most 'prestigious' higher education institutions,” Stefanik wrote Saturday evening.
Added, “Harvard and MIT, do the right thing.” The world is watching.'
Just minutes after Magill's statement, Upenn Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok also resigned.
Bok Vice Chair Julie Beren Platt has been named interim chair of the board.
In a statement released Saturday evening, Magill wrote, “It has been an honor to serve as president of this remarkable institution.”
“It has been an honor to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members to advance Penn’s important missions.”
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill has resigned from her position after her controversial testimony to Congress about anti-Semitism on campus sparked intense backlash
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik during the tense House Education and Workforce Committee hearing
Scott L. Bok, chairman of the school's board of trustees, later announced his own resignation, effective immediately, following Magill's decision to step down
In his own resignation statement, Bok defended Magill as a “good person” who was “not the least bit anti-Semitic” but had made a “misstep” after “months of relentless external attacks.”
“Today, following the resignation of the President of the University of Pennsylvania and the related Board of Trustees meetings, I have tendered my resignation as Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, effective immediately,” he said in a statement.
“While I was asked to remain in this role for the remainder of my term to assist in the presidential transition, I concluded that now was the right time for me to step down.”
He acknowledged that Magill had made a mistake in her disastrous testimony to Congress, describing it as a “terrible 30-second sacrifice.”
Bok added: “Former President Liz Magill made a very unfortunate misstep last week – consistent with that of two peer university leaders sitting next to her – after five hours of aggressive questioning before a congressional committee.”
“Afterwards it became clear that her position was no longer tenable, and she and I simultaneously decided that it was time for her to quit.”
He wished Magill “all the best in her future endeavors” and praised her as a “good person and talented leader who was loved by her team.”
He continued: “She is not anti-Semitic in the least.” Working with her was one of the greatest joys of my life.
“Weared down by months of relentless external attacks, she was no longer herself last Tuesday.”
Magill resigned on Saturday as calls for her resignation grew after she appeared before Congress to explain her response to anti-Semitism
Harvard President Claudine Gay at the congressional hearing on anti-Semitism on campus
The hearing also included a widely criticized statement from MIT President Sally Kornbluth
“Given the hostile forum and the high stakes, she was over-prepared and over-advocated. She gave a legalistic answer to a moral question, and that was wrong.”
Magill was sharply criticized for her statement, in which she said that censuring students who called for Jewish genocide was not a priority, but rather “context-specific.”
She was asked a “yes” or “no” question about whether calls for genocide against Jews counted as hate speech, and she repeatedly said it depended on the context.
On Wednesday, she tried to clarify her comments, but the damage was done: A wealthy alumnus withdrew a $100 million donation, and her comments drew sharp condemnation from the ADL, the White House and politicians across the board .
Magill released a groveling video statement in which she attempted to explain that she had failed to condemn calls for genocide against Jewish people on campus.
She said she was not “focused” on the issue and said she wanted to “make it clear” that calls for genocide were “plain and simple evil” – although she said the blame lay more with her university's policies and the constitution with her.
Magill said, “During yesterday's congressional hearing on anti-Semitism, there was a moment when I was asked whether calling for genocide against Jewish people on our campus would violate our policies.”
“In that moment, I focused on our university’s longstanding policies – consistent with the U.S. Constitution – that speech alone is not a crime.
The former president remains a tenured faculty member at Penn Carey Law
The university's board held crisis talks on Tuesday, but “nothing happened,” according to sources. A second meeting was scheduled for Sunday before the announcement was made
“I did not focus, but I should have, on the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide against Jewish people is a call for the most horrific violence that human beings can commit. “It is evil, pure and simple.”
Magill said she hopes to draw a line in the sand and clarify her position.
“I want to be clear: a call for genocide against Jewish people is deeply threatening,” she said.
“It is deliberately intended to frighten a people who have been subjected to pogroms and hatred for centuries and who were victims of mass genocide in the Holocaust.”
“In my opinion it would be harassment or intimidation.”
But, Magill said, it wasn't officially classified as harassment – a policy that was outdated and needed to be reviewed.
Magill promised to work on updating the existing rules.
“For decades under multiple Penn presidents and consistent with most universities, Penn policy has been guided by the Constitution and law,” she said.
“In today’s world, where we are witnessing signs of hate on our campus and in our world spreading in ways not seen in years, these policies need to be clarified and evaluated.”
“Penn must initiate a serious and careful review of our policies.”
She concluded that she is “committed to providing a safe and supportive environment so that all members of our community can thrive.” “We can and will do it right.”
On Thursday, as the House Education Committee said it would continue to investigate the matter, the board of Wharton — the world's first business school, founded in 1881 at the University of Pennsylvania — said Magill would have to resign.
A letter addressed to her said the university's leadership needed to be changed “with immediate effect.”
Magill tried to explain her equivocation Wednesday when asked whether calling for genocide against Jewish people was hate speech
In a letter addressed to Magill, the Wharton board said the university's leadership needed to change “effective immediately.”
“Due to the stated beliefs of University leadership and the collective failure to act, our Board respectfully suggests to you and the Board of Trustees that the University requires new leadership effective immediately.”
In a letter first obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian, the board describes its concerns about the “dangerous and toxic culture” at Penn that they say university leadership has allowed.
The letter goes on to say that university leadership “does not share the values of our board.”
After the astonishing words and actions of Presidents Claudine Gay, Sally Kornbluth and Magill, the House Education and Workforce Committee said it would investigate elite schools using the “full force of subpoena power.”
Her resignation comes after crisis talks took place earlier this week where “nothing” happened.
The board was scheduled to meet again Sunday to discuss Magill's resignation before she tendered her resignation.
At the time of her resignation, a petition calling for her dismissal had received more than 26,000 signatures.
Magill has been in office since July last year, but she and it appears her poor leadership in clashes between pro-Palestine and Israel supporters will become her legacy.
In view of the controversy, several well-known donors threatened to withdraw or have already stopped their financing.
Among them was Ross Stevens, the founder and CEO of New York-based Stone Ridge Asset Management, who said he withdrew his $100 million donation out of disgust over Penn's handling of anti-Semitism.