Washington, DC:

After a congressional hearing on the prevalence of anti-Semitism on US campuses, the president of an Ivy League university resigned on Saturday amid a barrage of criticism. Elizabeth Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, voluntarily tendered her resignation said the chair of the university’s board of trustees, Scott Bok.

After testifying on Tuesday at a congressional hearing on anti-Semitism on campuses, Magill was one of three presidents of prestigious colleges who came under heavy fire. When questioned whether students who advocate for the "genocide of Jews" on their campuses violate student conduct regulations, the trio responded to the question during the hearing with lengthy, legalistic, and somewhat evasive responses.

Magill's conduct was deemed "absolutely shameful" by Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, and a significant contributor threatened to revoke a $100 million contribution to the university's Wharton School of Business. 74 legislators wrote demanding that Magill be removed immediately, along with the presidents of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

Republican representative Elise Stefanik questioned the presidents on Tuesday about whether or not asking for the death of Jews was against university policies or conduct codes.

According to a transcript on Stefanik's office website, Magill replied, "If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment, yes." "I am asking, specifically calling for the genocide of Jews—does that constitute bullying or harassment?" Stefanik persisted. "It is harassment if it is severe, directed, and widespread," according to Magill.

Stefanik asked, "So the answer is yes."

Magill said, “Congresswoman, the choice depends on the circumstances.”

Stefanik burst out, "It doesn't depend on the context," upon hearing the others provide identical responses.

“Yes, it is the case, and for that reason, you ought to step down," she said.

Claudine Gay, the president of Harvard, later expressed regret for her lack of sterner condemnation of threats of anti-Semitic violence on her campus.

“Over prepared and over lawyered given the hostile forum and high stakes, she provided a legalistic answer to a moral question, and that was wrong,” Bok said in a statement published by the school paper. “It made for a dreadful 30-second sound bite in what was more than five hours of testimony,” he added.

Magill would stay in her post until an interim president is appointed and remain on the faculty of the university’s law school. News agency AFP confirmed from a university spokesperson that Bok also resigned.

After Israel's bombardment of Gaza following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, anti-Semitism and hate crimes against Jews and Muslims have become more prevalent in the US, particularly on college campuses.  A larger discussion over the limits of free speech and extremely harsh, even inflammatory language has emerged as a result of the heightened emotions on campuses.