A University of Pennsylvania donor has threatened to withdraw a $100 million donation from The Wharton School, the university's business school, following the appearance of the university's president before Congress.
University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill appeared before Congress Tuesday along with leaders of two other Ivy League schools - Harvard President Claudine Gay and Sally Kornbluth of MIT.
During a hearing, none of the presidents answered "yes" or "no" to the question: "Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate [your university's] code of conduct or rules regarding bullying and harassment?"
All three presidents told the panel that they did not condone antisemitism and were taking steps to prevent it on campus, but on the specific question they cited free speech rights and said any discipline would depend on the specific circumstances.
Hate speech and acts — both antisemitic and Islamophobic — have erupted on U.S. college campuses since the Hamas-Israel war began in October.
All the presidents have received criticism because of their refusal to give a definitive answer to the question.
Stone Ridge Asset Management CEO Ross Stevens says he will withdraw his donation, now worth $100 million, to the Wharton School's Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance if Magill is not removed from office.
