University of Pennsylvania names J. Larry Jameson president after serving as interim since 2023
The University of Pennsylvania's Board of Trustees unanimously elected J. Larry Jameson its next president on Thursday.
Jameson has been Penn's interim president since 2023. His term will now run through June, 30, 2027, according to a news release.
"The challenges facing higher education today are among the most significant ever encountered by American universities," Ramanan Raghavendran, the chair of the board of trustees at Penn, said. "Given Penn's complexity, size, location, and visibility, these issues have profound implications for our community.
"Penn has been very fortunate to have Larry Jameson at the helm during this time. I am pleased that our Board can recognize his exceptional performance, and acknowledge his inspirational leadership and vision, by formally extending his appointment to June 30, 2027."
Jameson became Penn's interim president amid a tumultuous time at the university in 2023.
Jameson stepped into the role after former Penn president Liz Magill resigned following her comments in a Congressional hearing on campus antisemitism. Board Chair Scott Bok also resigned.
In 2023, Magill was one of three college presidents who testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce about how they've handled antisemtic incidents on their campuses since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel.
In the hearing, Magill got in an exchange with New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik about whether calling for the genocide of Jewish people violates the Ivy League university's code of conduct.
"If it is directed and severe and pervasive, it is harassment," Magill said during the hearing.
"So the answer is yes?" Stefanik replied.
"It is a context-dependent decision, Congresswoman," Magill answered.
Bok said in a statement after the two stepped down that Magill made a "very unfortunate misstep" in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing.
Before he became the interim president in 2023, Jameson was Penn's executive vice president for the health system and the dean of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine since 2011.
Jameson was the dean of the dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine and vice president of medical affairs at Northwestern University before joining Penn.
"I am profoundly honored by this vote of confidence from our Board of Trustees," Jameson said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing the vital work of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members to uphold Penn's mission of utilizing knowledge for the greater good. I am confident that our University's future is bright as we prioritize our core values of excellence, freedom of inquiry and expression, and respect. I am deeply committed to this extraordinary institution, and it is an honor to serve as Penn's President."
