June 11, 2024
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD/Facebook
J. Larry Jameson (pictured above in 2018), formerly the dean of Penn's medical school, has served as the university's interim president since the resignation of Liz Magill in December 2023.
University of Pennsylvania interim President J. Larry Jameson is expected to remain in his position for the next two years or until the university selects a new president.
Jameson has served as Penn's interim president since December 2023 after Liz Magill resigned following backlash over her congressional committee testimony about antisemitism. Jameson was previously the dean of Penn's medical school.
Penn's Board of Trustees Director Ramanan Raghavendran announced the move in a statement to the university's community.
"I am delighted to share that (Jameson) has graciously agreed to remain in the role through academic year (2025-26), or until we have identified a successor," Raghavendran wrote.
Raghavendran continued by saying that "more information will be forthcoming" regarding the selection for Penn's next president. He said members of the Penn community will have opportunities to share their thoughts on the search, although he did not specify how or outline a timeline.
"I was humbled to preside over this year’s Commencement for the first time in my role as Board Chair and found it to be a beautiful, celebratory end to what has been a challenging year," wrote Raghavendran, who came into the position of board chair in January after Scott Bok resigned alongside Magill.
The "challenging year" Raghavendran refers to was primarily defined by the administration's response to pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Magill resigned after backlash over her congressional committee testimony about antisemitism.
In the time since Jameson was installed as interim president, pro-Palestinian protesters have demonstrated multiple times on Penn's campus, calling on Jameson and the university's administration to disclose and divest Penn's finances relating to the war in Gaza.
These demonstrations included protesters interrupting Jameson's first public board meeting, setting up a Gaza solidarity encampment on College Green and marching to Jameson's home in University City after the encampment was disbanded by police.
Last week, a message to Penn's community signed by Jameson and several other administrative figures in the university outlined temporary guidelines for campus demonstrations, which included the banning of encampments and other forms of protest.
