It will go down as the testimony heard ’round the academic world and could end up being one of the final acts of three different college presidencies.

University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill, along with presidents of Harvard and MIT, testified on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and the firestorm from their comments have brought together political leaders from both sides of the aisle in condemnation.

Speaking before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the trio of college leaders defended their responses to incidents of antisemitism on their campuses.

The flashpoint came when questioned by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who asked for a yes-or-no response on whether “calling for the genocide of Jews” violated the schools’ codes of conduct. In varying ways, Magill, Harvard University president Claudine Gay, MIT president Sally Kornbluth said their answers would be context specific, and related to whether speech turned into conduct.

Republicans had started a crusade on woke culture at colleges and universities long before Magill testified or the war between Israel and Hamas began.

The hearing represented an opportunity to discuss the increase in antisemitism on campuses amid a larger Republican argument that elite institutions are not in touch with everyday Americans. In her introductory remarks, the chair of the committee Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), called antisemitism the “poisoned fruits” of the colleges’ cultures and drew a connection between a rise in antisemitism and universities’ antiracism and DEI missions.

Pennsylvania leaders were quick to respond to Magill’s comments.

Gov. Josh Shapiro was one of the first to condemn Magill, saying “That was an unacceptable statement … Frankly, I thought her comments were absolutely shameful. It should not be hard to condemn genocide.”

Others joined in.

.@Penn President Liz Magill’s actions in front of Congress were an embarrassment to the university, its student body, and its vast network of proud alumni.

She has shown the entire world that she is either incapable or unwilling to combat antisemitism on the university’s campus… pic.twitter.com/b1ecGoBrtZ

— Guy Reschenthaler (@GReschenthaler) December 8, 2023

I am proud to lead a bipartisan letter with @RepMoskowitz and 72 of our colleagues to the members of the Governing Boards of @Harvard, @MIT, and @Penn demanding that their presidents be removed after this week’s @EdWorkforceCmte hearing.

Read the full letter here. pic.twitter.com/IOPpNdNh34

— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) December 8, 2023

Magill attempted to clarify her comments with a video released shortly after her testimony.

A Video Message from President Liz Magill pic.twitter.com/GlPE3QZU4P

— Penn (@Penn) December 6, 2023

For some, that was too little, too late.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School board and longtime donor Jon Huntsman have both said President Liz Magill should be fired after her testimony during a House hearing on antisemitism https://t.co/O2T3AYMMjs pic.twitter.com/yzMdqufQlj

— The Hill (@thehill) December 8, 2023

NEW: Multiple trustees told Magill at the emergency trustees gathering that while they were not calling for Magill’s resignation, she should think “long and hard” about whether she can function in her role effectively.https://t.co/nFifyJOXBW

— The Daily Pennsylvanian (@dailypenn) December 8, 2023