Following UPenn and Harvard, Cornell President Resigns... 'Anti-Yudae' Sweeps US Universities

Three Resignations in Six Months Since Last December
Responsibility for Threats to Kill Jewish Students at Cornell University
"Freedom of Expression Must Be Protected Even If Uncomfortable," Defense Argued

Martha Pollack, president of Cornell University, a member of the U.S. Ivy League, has announced her intention to resign. This marks the third time an Ivy League university president has stepped down since the anti-Semitism controversy erupted in American universities late last year.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 9th (local time), President Pollack stated in a press release, "It has been seven years since I assumed the presidency on the 17th of last month," adding, "This year will be my last as president, and I intend to retire on June 30."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Pollack explained, "I expect much speculation surrounding my decision to retire," and emphasized, "I want to make it clear that this decision was made by myself." She further elaborated, "Our responsibility to freedom of expression, which is increasingly polarized today, remains more important than anything else," adding, "This includes the freedom to express ideas that may be considered offensive."

Pollack's resignation decision comes amid the recent spread of pro-Palestinian anti-war protests centered on U.S. university campuses. In some universities, physical clashes between protesters and police occurred during the removal of protest tents, and numerous universities canceled graduation ceremonies. Reports also indicated that approximately 2,500 students have been arrested across university campuses nationwide.

Cornell University was not immune to the anti-Semitism controversy. In October last year, an associate professor of history at Cornell caused controversy by describing the attack by the armed group Hamas on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 civilian deaths, as a "thrilling event." Additionally, some Cornell students were found to have issued death threats against Jewish students on campus. In response, educational authorities launched an investigation, and some Cornell alumni and donors demanded the dismissal of the university president from the board of trustees.

This marks the third time an Ivy League president has resigned amid anti-Semitism controversies, following Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). Earlier, Claudine Gay, president of Harvard, stepped down in January due to reasons including neglecting the spread of anti-Semitism on campus and plagiarism. Notably, significant pressure came from Bill Ackman, a key Harvard donor and hedge fund magnate of Pershing Square Capital. Similarly, Elizabeth Magill, president of UPenn, who faced similar scrutiny, eventually resigned under pressure from Mark Rowan, a private equity fund (PEF) billionaire.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a warning regarding the wildfire-like spread of anti-war protests on university campuses. In his Holocaust Memorial Day speech held in Washington D.C. on the 7th, he emphasized, "There is no place for anti-Semitism, hate speech, or any violence at any American university," and stressed, "Illegal protests accompanied by physical attacks and property damage, rather than peaceful demonstrations, will not be tolerated."