The University of Pennsylvania named an interim president on Tuesday, filling the seat vacated by Liz Magill, who stepped down Saturday amid widespread outrage over her recent congressional testimony on campus antisemitism.
“I write to share that J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, has graciously agreed to serve as interim president of the University of Pennsylvania, effective immediately,” Julie Beren Platt, the interim chair of Penn’s board of trustees, wrote in a Dec. 12 letter addressed to “members of the Penn community.”
Jameson, 69, has been the dean of Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine since 2011, as well as executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He is not only the longest serving current dean at Penn, but also a “consummate University citizen,” according to the letter. Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, executive vice dean and chief scientific officer of the Perelman School and senior vice president and chief scientific officer of the Penn Health System, will step into both roles on an interim basis, the letter said.
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The backlash to Magill’s Dec. 5 testimony began before she even finished speaking before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. In the hearing, called “Holding Campus Leaders Accountable and Confronting Antisemitism,” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), asked Magill if students calling for “the genocide of Jews” would violate the university’s code of conduct.
Magill, a lawyer by training, responded with a series of flaccid, legalistic responses, failing to state firmly and clearly that calls for genocide would be out of bounds.
“It is a context-dependent decision,” she said.
“It’s a ‘context-dependent’ decision?” Stefanik shot back. “That’s your testimony today? [That] calling for the genocide of Jews is depending upon the context? … This is the easiest question to answer, ‘yes,’ Ms. Magill.”
“If the speech becomes conduct, it can be harassment, yes,” Magill said.
“‘Conduct?’” Stefanik countered. “Meaning, committing the act of genocide?… Ms. Magill, I’m going to give you one more opportunity for the world to see your answer. Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Penn’s Code of Conduct when it comes to bullying and harassment? Yes or no?”
“It can be harassment,” Magill said.
“The answer is yes,” Stefanik responded.
Magill later posted an apology on social media, calling genocide “evil.”
Harvard President Claudine Gay and MIT President Sally Kornbluth turned in similar performances at the hearing, and have since faced their own calls to resign.
On Friday, the Committee on Education and the Workforce announced it would be opening a formal investigation into MIT, Harvard, and Penn, citing “deep concerns with their leadership and their failure to take steps to provide Jewish students the safe learning environment they are due under law.”
In Tuesday’s letter, Platt—who became interim board chair when former chair Scott Bok resigned over the Magill affair—called the current period a “challenging time.”
