Internet cynical as UPenn president Liz Magill resigns after uproar over disastrous antisemitism hearing

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Liz Magill, the President of the University of Pennsylvania, voluntarily resigned on December 9, amid widespread backlash for her testimony on campus anti-Semitism, announced the Ivy League School.

Scott L Bok, the Chair of the Penn Board of Trustees, issued the statement addressed to the Penn community.

The statement reads, "I write to share that President Liz Magill has voluntarily tendered her resignation as President of the University of Pennsylvania." Bok also announced his resignation shortly after Magill stepped down.

Magill along with presidents of Harvard and MIT, Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth, testified before a committee in the House of Representatives on how they handled the rising anti-Semitic incidents in their campuses since the beginning of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

When Republican New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik questioned the President at the House committee, "Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate [your university's] code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment? Yes or no?"

Magill struggled to give an objective answer, saying it is a "context dependent decision." This led to criticism against the President's "lack of moral clarity."

Calls for her immediate resignation increased after a major donor, Ross Stevens, CEO of Stone Ridge, withdrew a $100m grant from Pennsylvania University.

Liz Magill will continue as a tenured professor at UPenn

Voluntarily resigning from the position of President does not make Magill unemployed. Instead, she will continue as a tenured professor at Penn Carey Law School, reported CNN.

She will continue as an interim president until the appointment of a new interim leader.

"It has been my privilege to serve as President of this remarkable institution," she said in a statement. "It has been an honor to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members to advance Penn's vital missions."

Her resignation followed persistent demands, which did not subside even after she attempted to clarify her statements in a video message posted on December 7th.

Liz Magill's voluntary resignation does not satisfy netizens

Since Magill's voluntary retirement from the post still leaves her with a tenured professor position and financial benefits, the internet thinks the move is unsatisfactory.

Many pointed out that she is still paid and will continue to enjoy the benefits as a faculty. One user said, "Not good enough, she is still on the payroll and influencing others."

Another user remarked, "She was just shuffled to another spot."

"Glad she’s leaving but firing her would have been better. She leaves with benefits and one hell of a pension because she 'voluntarily' resigned," a user stated.

One user said, "She has tenure! She's not going anywhere."

"She still has her position at the Law School - and may still be getting the same salary. For now," added another user.

A user said, "She still is a tenured professor at their law school and will stay in her position during the transition. Seems like a sweetheart deal."

"Problem is now she gets to use her crazy ideas as a professor where she will use her firing as a weapon. Why does she get to keep tenure and pension. This means nothing," read another reaction.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.