University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill has resigned following intense criticism from alumni, students, and donors over her testimony at a congressional hearing on antisemitism. During the hearing, Magill declined to explicitly state that calling for the genocide of Jews would violate the university's code of conduct on bullying or harassment. Her refusal, along with similar responses from the presidents of Harvard and MIT, sparked a crisis at UPenn, with donors threatening to withdraw $100 million in funding.

Scott Bok, the chair of UPenn's board of trustees, announced Magill's resignation in a statement on Saturday. Magill's resignation comes amidst pressure from donors and criticism over her inability to denounce calls for genocide during the hearing. This marks her second year as president of the prestigious Ivy League institution.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has urged colleges and universities in the state to address cases of antisemitism and "calls for genocide" on their campuses. In a letter to college and university presidents, Hochul stated that her administration would enforce violations of the state's Human Rights Law and refer any violations of federal civil rights law to U.S. officials. She emphasized that colleges and universities failing to comply with discrimination laws could lose eligibility for state and federal funds.

Hochul's letter was prompted by the recent congressional hearing where the presidents of Harvard and UPenn faced backlash for not adequately condemning threats of violence against Jewish students. U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik questioned the university presidents about whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their respective institutions' codes of conduct. Harvard President Claudine Gay stated that it depended on the context, while Magill later walked back her own comments, considering such calls to be harassment or intimidation.

Following the hearing, there has been growing concern regarding the protection of Jewish students on college campuses across the U.S. Reports of antisemitism have increased since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Governor Hochul expressed shock over the university presidents' failure to denounce antisemitism and calls for genocide, calling for a clear and unequivocal condemnation.

In response to these concerns, Hochul has commissioned an independent review of antisemitism and discrimination policies at the City University of New York (CUNY) system, the nation's largest urban public university system. The review will assess how the system handles antisemitism complaints and provide recommendations for better protection of Jewish students and faculty.

It is crucial, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union, that school administrators differentiate between students critiquing the actions of the state of Israel and advocating for Palestinian rights and actual calls for violence. The organization emphasizes that political speech criticizing a government's actions is protected as core political expression.

Governor Hochul's office has not yet provided a comment on these developments. It is important to note that the false misrepresentation of the chant "Israel, we charge you with genocide" at pro-Palestinian rallies has caused confusion. Experts and advocates clarify that the chant is a typical refrain heard at these rallies and is not a call for Jewish genocide.

The resignation of President Liz Magill and the subsequent calls to address antisemitism and protect Jewish students on college campuses highlight the growing concerns surrounding this issue. The actions taken by UPenn and the New York governor reflect the need for universities to actively combat discrimination and ensure the safety and well-being of all students.