CUNY Chancellor to Remain Despite Antisemitism Scandals and Campus Chaos, Board Backs Leadership

By: Fern Sidman

Despite mounting criticism from elected officials and Jewish organizations over antisemitic incidents and disruptive anti-Israel protests across multiple campuses, CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez will remain in his role as head of the nation’s largest urban public university system. According to a report that appeared in The New York Post on Thursday, the CUNY Board of Trustees recently conducted a performance review and reaffirmed its support for Matos Rodríguez, who has held the post since 2019.

“He’s staying,” Board Chairman Bill Thompson told The Post, adding that the chancellor, commonly referred to as “Felo,” retains considerable support within the board.

This endorsement comes even as public confidence in CUNY’s ability to safeguard Jewish students is at a low point. As The New York Post has extensively covered, incidents of anti-Israel agitation and antisemitic behavior have escalated significantly in the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 massacre in southern Israel. The most recent flashpoint occurred at Brooklyn College, where anti-Israel student demonstrators erected a tent encampment in violation of campus policy. When police attempted to dismantle the illegal protest, clashes broke out and at least 14 people were arrested. One officer was forced to use a Taser to subdue a violent protester.

In the wake of the chaos, a bipartisan group of nine state and city lawmakers issued a scathing letter, obtained exclusively by The New York Post, demanding accountability from the chancellor and calling for immediate action to restore order and protect Jewish students. The letter stated:

“It is unacceptable but not surprising that almost two years after October 7th — after an investigation into CUNY and several public hearings — we are still grappling with disruptive and criminal behavior against Jewish students, encampments and masked agitators on campus.”

New York City Councilmember Inna Vernikov, one of the signatories, went a step further, demanding Matos Rodríguez’s resignation if he failed to restore civility.

“There are only two ways to end the pro-terror anarchy that has infested our campuses: for the CUNY chancellor to either step up or step down,” Vernikov told The Post.

That “anarchy” has not been limited to Brooklyn College. In a previous incident at City College of New York, protesters caused more than $3 million in damage and triggered a taxpayer-funded increase in security expenditures. According to The New York Post, some of the worst episodes have involved masked protesters glorifying Hamas and using antisemitic rhetoric while intimidating Jewish students and faculty.

Matos Rodríguez, who earns $670,000 annually and is the first CUNY chancellor of Hispanic descent, was reportedly unshaken by rumors that he planned to resign. In a statement to The New York Post, he expressed his desire to continue in the role: “I’m deeply committed to CUNY. Leading our students, faculty and staff is the honor of a lifetime, and I will continue to serve our incredible community for as long as I can.”

On Sunday, the chancellor made a public appearance at Queens College during a Mother’s Day celebration for families with autistic children—an effort to signal stability amid the swirling controversy.

In his formal response to the lawmakers’ letter, Matos Rodríguez defended CUNY’s actions, saying Brooklyn College President Michelle Anderson had followed proper protocol by calling in the NYPD when demonstrators violated campus policy. He further argued that some claims in the letter were factually inaccurate. For instance, he noted that Brooklyn College’s library was closed merely as a precaution—not because of imminent danger—and that final exams were not underway at the time of the protest.

He also emphasized that CUNY is investigating any faculty, staff, or students who may have broken the law or CUNY policies. Additionally, the New York Post reported that he confirmed that the university has increased security for Jewish organizations such as Hillel, asserting, “We will continue to fight antisemitism anywhere we find it and to ensure that campuses across CUNY are safe, welcoming, and secure for all students.”

Yet, critics say these reassurances ring hollow. As the report in The New York Post highlighted, New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered an independent investigation into antisemitism at CUNY in 2023. The damning findings, released in a report last September and led by former Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, concluded that antisemitism at CUNY was “alarming” and inflamed by faculty and administrators who failed to intervene or even tacitly enabled it.

The report called for a top-down overhaul of the university’s culture and disciplinary systems. However, as protests continue and the chancellor remains entrenched, many believe that little has changed.

Matos Rodríguez has previously served as president of both Queens College and Hostos Community College. He also held the role of cabinet secretary for Puerto Rico’s Department of Family Services. He is expected to testify before the City Council later this week concerning the municipal budget for higher education—a hearing where he is likely to face more scrutiny over his handling of recent events.

Despite the growing calls for leadership change and mounting distrust among Jewish students and community leaders, the CUNY Board of Trustees appears content with the current trajectory. Their decision to retain Matos Rodríguez, as reported by The New York Post, draws attention to a deepening divide between CUNY’s administration and those demanding robust action to combat campus antisemitism.

For now, CUNY’s embattled chancellor stays in place. But with investigations ongoing, protests flaring, and public outrage growing, the question remains: At what cost?