2023-12-10 09:04:11
The controversy continues to swell in the world of American higher education. The president of the prestigious American private university UPenn, in Philadelphia, and the head of its board of directors announced their resignation on Saturday evening after a criticized hearing before Congress in Washington concerning anti-Semitism on campuses in the United States.
“It has been an honor to serve this remarkable institution,” wrote Elizabeth Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania since the summer of 2022, in a brief “resignation” message made public by the chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. establishment, Scott Bok.
The presidents of Harvard and MIT in turmoil
“Former President Liz Magill made an unfortunate misstep last week – as did her two university president pairs (Claudine Gay of Harvard and Sally Kornbluth of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MIT) after five hours of aggressive hearing before a Congressional Committee,” Scott Bok explained in a statement. “After that, it was obvious that her position was no longer tenable and she and I decided that it was time for her to leave,” he wrote, also announcing his own resignation “effective immediately.”
Congress opened a parliamentary investigation Thursday into what it called “rampant anti-Semitism” on U.S. campuses.
Increase in anti-Semitism on campuses since October 7
Since Tuesday, the three university presidents have been called upon to resign, notably by dozens of parliamentarians, after their hearing – considered “absolutely shameful” by the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania – before a congressional commission on the subject of the increase in the anti-Semitism on campuses since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas on October 7.
The three women responded Tuesday to questions from Republican parliamentarian Elise Stefanik who likened students’ calls for “intifada” to an exhortation to “genocide against Jews in Israel and around the world.” When the elected official asked if “calling for the genocide of the Jews violated the rules on harassment at Harvard, yes or no? », Claudine Gay replied: “it can, depending on the context”, before adding: “if it is directed against a person”.
On Friday, the Harvard boss said she was “sorry” that her “words (have) amplified the distress and pain” and Elizabeth Magill released a video message of regret after a donor threatened to withdraw $100 million of funds at UPenn.
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