Leaders of three esteemed US universities, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are facing mounting pressure and backlash over their handling of a contentious campus antisemitism controversy. The controversy, which has been inflamed by their appearance at a congressional hearing earlier this week, shows no sign of abating as free speech advocates and billionaire college donors become involved in the debate.

At UPenn, president Liz Magill survived an emergency meeting of the board of trustees on Thursday, but her future at the university remains uncertain. The board of UPenn's Wharton business school has requested her resignation, while the Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, announced that the board will reconvene over the weekend. Magill faced criticism for her "disastrous" comments during the hearing regarding the university's response to rising campus antisemitism since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war.

Harvard University president Claudine Gay also faced scrutiny for her testimony at the same hearing. She initially stated that antisemitic speech was actionable under university policy only when it amounted to bullying or harassment. However, Gay later apologized for her words, acknowledging that "words matter" and expressing regret for any distress caused. Nevertheless, demands for her resignation persist.

Sally Kornbluth, president of MIT, was accused of being evasive during the hearing when she answered that calls for genocide would constitute bullying or harassment if they were targeted at individuals and not public statements. MIT issued a statement in support of Kornbluth, emphasizing her ability to unite the community and her exemplary work in addressing antisemitism and other forms of hate.

The controversy surrounding these universities has drawn the attention of the Republican-led House committee on education and the workforce, which has launched an investigation into their handling of antisemitism on campus. The committee asserts that the universities are not doing enough to address this issue.

The line of questioning by Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik during the hearing has also come under scrutiny. Stefanik frequently referenced the word "genocide" and linked it to chants heard during pro-Palestine protests on US campuses. While some Jewish student groups view these expressions as calls for violence, pro-Palestinian groups argue that they convey a message of Palestinian freedom rather than incitement.

Civil liberties advocates defended the university presidents, stating that their intent was to champion free speech rather than engage in a public fight over antisemitism. They emphasized that protected speech, even if contentious or offensive, should be safeguarded by higher education institutions. However, speech containing serious and imminent threats of violence, incitement, or pervasive harassment based on protected characteristics does not fall under the umbrella of protected speech.

The controversy has shed light on the issue of rising antisemitism on these campuses, particularly at Harvard and UPenn. Both universities have been faced with allegations of allowing antisemitic behavior on campus. Donor backlash has also come into play, with philanthropists withdrawing funding due to their dissatisfaction with the universities' handling of the situation.

The debate over campus antisemitism has intersected with an increase in discrimination against Muslim and Arab students, along with a crackdown on expressions of support for Palestinians. Several universities, including Columbia and Brandeis, have suspended the group Students for Justice in Palestine, while the ACLU has sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for ordering the deactivation of the group within the state's university system.

As the controversy continues, the universities find themselves facing a delicate balancing act between protecting free speech and addressing instances of hate speech and discrimination on their campuses. The outcome of the investigations and the ongoing fallout from the controversy remain to be seen.