Liz Magill Keeping Salary Despite Resignation Sparks Fury

News the University of Pennsylvania's former president Liz Magill will keep her tenured salary as a law school member despite resigning as president has sparked a backlash.

The beleaguered college leader resigned from her role as president on Saturday following an antisemitism row. But in an email sent to the university community, the university confirmed she will remain a tenured faculty member at the university's law school, Penn Carey Law.

Her resignation followed universities facing accusations of failing to protect Jewish students amid rising fears of antisemitism amid Israel's war with Hamas. Incidences of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate alike have increased since the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel.

During testimony at a congressional hearing on antisemitism on college campuses, where she appeared alongside Harvard President Claudine Gay and MIT President Sally Kornbluth, Magill appeared to evade a question on campus antisemitism.

Although she condemned antisemitism, she was accused by lawmakers of being "evasive" in answers to Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, who questioned whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" would violate Penn's code of conduct.

"If the speech turns into conduct it, can be harassment, yes," Magill said.

Pressed further, Magill told Stefanik: "It is a context-dependent decision, congresswoman."

Her actions triggered a backlash with the state's Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, calling the remarks "absolutely shameful," adding: "It should not be hard to condemn genocide."

Newsweek was unable to verify Magill's salary and a Penn spokesperson said the university could not comment on compensation.

But following reports she will keep her salary and remain a tenured professor, people responded with outrage on X, formerly Twitter.

One user wrote: "Yes—Magill for now, will be forced to scrape by on her $200,000 tenured professor salary."

Another said: "Magill still has a tenured law professorship. She gets to continue to poison the minds of our future leaders. Plus, she keeps her wonderful salary, benefits, status, etc."

A third wrote: "Still a tenured faculty member? Shameful."

Magill apologized after her testimony, saying in a video statement that she had not been "focused" on the issue, and said that calls for genocide were "evil, plain and simple."

After she resigned, Magill said in the statement: "It has been my privilege to serve as President of this remarkable institution. It has been an honor to work with our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and community members to advance Penn's vital missions."

Newsweek has contacted Magill by email to comment on this story.