PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The University of Pennsylvania has named J. Larry Jameson as its interim president. The decision was announced at a university board of trustees meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Jameson will succeed outgoing president Liz Magill, who resigned Saturday after receiving backlash from comments she made at a congressional hearing on university's responses to antisemitism.
Acknowledging the worldwide trauma stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, Jameson on Tuesday released a letter "to the Penn Community," calling for compassion and a united effort:
"I am honored that the Board of Trustees has asked me to serve as Penn’s Interim President. I accept this responsibility clear-eyed about the challenges facing our University," he wrote.
"In the coming weeks and months, I look forward, with curiosity and an open mind, to learning from you and to sharing my own views with you. I am trained as a physician—healing is in my nature and skill set. I also trained as a scientist—hard-wired to ask challenging questions, pursue rigorous inquiry and debate, and ready to be proven wrong.
"The last few weeks have been a profoundly painful chapter for our institution, for higher education, and for the world. I know these recent leadership transitions have been distressing and destabilizing. I feel it myself. There is pain, fear, and uncertainty in our community. I want to reiterate that every person at Penn should feel safe and be secure in the knowledge that hate has no home here. This is fundamental, but it is not enough.
"With respect for one another, support for one another, and adaption to our changing world, Penn can truly lead in this moment, and emerge better and stronger than before. I hope you will join me in this important work and come together to support one another and the University we love."
Jameson had served as Penn's medical school dean, as well as the vice president of Penn's health system.
He begins his new duties immediately, until a permanent replacement is found.