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By: David Lewchansky
On Monday, during a City Council hearing, CUNY’s chancellor was grilled over his responses in the campus’ handling of anti-Semitism. As reported by the NY Post, Jewish students at the City University of New York spoke up at the hearing to retell the horrifying acts of anti-Semitism and hate on campuses since the Oct 7, 2023 war began, with Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel. Lawmakers at the hearing slammed CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez for providing limited details about what actions he has taken on campus.
“We want a CUNY that is safe and welcoming for all students. Those conversations become very challenging when that data doesn’t exist, or it exists, but it’s not being shared, or you didn’t come prepared with it,” said Councilmember Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx), chair of the Committee on Higher Education.
In late September, an independent probe commissioned by Gov. Kathy Hochul reported that CUNY needed to overhaul its policies to better safeguard against an “alarming” number of anti-Semitic incidents. The report, conducted by former New York chief judge Jonathan Lippman, made 13 recommendations to CUNY, specifying changes for the public university, which boasts 25 campuses, and which receives $975,381 in city funding and $2.1 billion from the state. These recommendations included developing a clear definition of anti-Semitism, improving its complaints system, updating the hiring and training practices for professors and diversity officers, and better collaborating with law enforcement and security professionals to ensure students feel safe.
At Monday’s hearing, however, Rodríguez, rather than presenting the list of actions taken since then, was unable even to provide the number of complaints made by students or staff, or whether any faculty members had been disciplined in consequence. “It’s just wholly unsatisfactory. It’s not enough just to show up,” fumed Councilmember Julie Menin (D-Manhattan), who is also on the Higher Education committee.
Per the Post, Jewish students, who spoke at the hearing testified about their experiences during the campus’s Pro-Palestinian protests in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 war. “They publicly labeled me a genocide enabler simply because I called out the anti-Semitism of their protest,” one student said. “All I ask is that Jewish students are treated with the same respect and dignity that any other student would be granted.” Another student, who was told to remove his Star of David necklace while on campus, said his return to school after visiting Israel was “something of a nightmare.” “I came to understand that my safety at school could not be guaranteed.”
The students implored CUNY to adopt the definition of anti-Semitism set by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which reads: “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Rodríguez said a plan to revamp the school’s complaints system was underway, and that they were looking to expedite the contract via an emergency procurement process, the Post reported. He said the university hired private security officers, and launched a case management system, student surveys and inclusion campaigns. The chancellor said a “Freedom of Expression Working Group” would clarify the school’s policy on freedom of speech. “
