In a surprising turn of events, President Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania has tendered her resignation following a House hearing where she, along with counterparts from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), faced scrutiny over their institutions' response to the rise in anti-Jewish hate.

On Saturday, Scott L. Bok, the chair of the Penn Board of Trustees, announced Magill's voluntary resignation in a message to the Penn community. However, he noted that she will continue to serve as a tenured faculty member at the Penn Carey Law school.

During the five-hour House hearing on Tuesday, Magill, Harvard President Claudine Gay, and MIT President Sally Kornbluth were questioned about their institutions' policies regarding anti-Semitic behavior. The focus of controversy arose from a contentious exchange with Representative Elise Stefanik, where she asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate each institution's code of conduct.

Rather than providing a direct yes-or-no answer, Magill stated that this decision would be "context-dependent" and that if the speech evolves into conduct, it could be considered harassment. Gay and Kornbluth offered similar responses, with Kornbluth highlighting that she had not heard of such rhetoric at MIT.

The exchanges between the university presidents and Representative Stefanik quickly spread on social media and drew widespread criticism from political leaders, as well as Jewish community advocates, alumni, and donors.

Magill later released a video message elaborating on her initial answer and unequivocally condemning calls for the genocide of Jewish people. She acknowledged that she should have given more weight to the seriousness of such statements.

Harvard President Claudine Gay has since apologized for her remarks, acknowledging that she got caught up in a combative exchange.

In response to the controversy, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates stated, "Calls for genocide are monstrous and antithetical to everything we represent as a country," condemning statements advocating for the systematic murder of Jews.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his disappointment with Magill's response, calling it "unacceptable." He emphasized the importance of leaders speaking and acting with moral clarity in situations like these and urged the university's board to make a "serious decision" regarding Magill's leadership.

Amidst the criticism, Penn alumnus Ross Stevens, CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings, threatened to pull $100 million worth of shares held by the university unless Magill stepped down. Stevens cited Magill's congressional testimony and expressed his dismay at the university's alleged stance on anti-Semitism.

Magill's departure has also drawn the attention of billionaire investor Bill Ackman, who had been calling for her removal on social media. Ackman now focuses his attention on Presidents Gay and Kornbluth, as well as the boards of Harvard and MIT.

In response to these developments, Representative Stefanik announced that the House's Education and Workforce Committee will initiate a congressional investigation, using the "full force of subpoena power," into Penn, Harvard, MIT, and other undisclosed universities. Stefanik aims to hold these institutions accountable for what she perceives as a failure on the global stage.

The resignation of President Liz Magill from the University of Pennsylvania marks a significant development in the ongoing discussions surrounding the rise of anti-Semitism on college campuses and the responsibility of university leaders in addressing such issues.