Who is Liz Magill? 'Law & Order' creator Dick Wolf wants UPenn president to quit over Palestinian literature festival
PENNSYLVANIA: 'Law & Order' creator Dick Wolf has reportedly demanded that Liz Magill, a renowned legal scholar and academic leader who took charge as the ninth President of the University of Pennsylvania on July 1, 2022, step down from her position.
Liz previously held the positions of Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of Virginia and was the Richard E Lang Professor and Dean of Stanford Law School.
Magill, known for her significant contributions to UVA and Stanford, is currently making headlines after the Emmy award-winning producer Wolf, the benefactor of UPenn’s Wolf Humanities, Center has reportedly pressured her to step down.
Why did Dick Wolf ask Liz Magill to quit?
Dick Wolf, who is also the namesake of UPenn’s Wolf Humanities Center, is among a growing list of powerful donors vowing to cut off financial support to the Ivy League school, per CNN.
The reason behind this is a Palestinian literature festival that was held on campus last month. The festival, known as the Palestine Writes Literature Festival, included speakers with a history of making allegedly antisemitic remarks. This event has caused a backlash among donors, including Wolf.
"President Magill, I implore you and [chair of the board of trustees] Scott Bok to step down from your UPenn positions before any more unnecessary damage to UPenn," Wolf wrote in the letter, obtained by CNN. "There is no hope for unification in our community until you step aside."
In his letter, Wolf stated that he will "end all donations to UPenn" until both Liz Magill and Scott Bok (chair of the board of trustees) resign. He expressed his concern that the Wolf Humanities Center contributed to this event, which he referred to as a "hate fest." Further, he believes that a leadership change is the "only path forward."
Liz Magill allegedly spearheaded the overhaul of UVA’s internal budget system, initiated a groundbreaking grand challenges program, and improved undergraduate advising. At Stanford Law School, she was instrumental in setting up a novel Law and Policy Lab and kick-starting the school’s Global Initiative.
Dick Wolf alleges 'hate fest'
In his letter, Wolf characterized the festival as a "hate fest" and voiced his dismay over the involvement of the Wolf Humanities Center. He urged Magill and Bok to resign to prevent further "unnecessary damage to UPenn".
"The notion that the Wolf Humanities Center contributed to this hate fest, otherwise known as the Palestine Writes Festival, is an abomination," Wolf stated, as per CNN.
Wolf’s letter apparently intensifies his previous statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. In the letter, he asserts that Bok and Magill "should be held accountable" as their leadership has "inadequately represented" the university’s principles and values.
However, in spite of these appeals for their departure, the Penn Board of Trustees has unanimously supported Magill, per Daily Mail.
