Antisemitism at CUNY: Judge’s Report Exposes Safety Concerns

City University of New York Must Do More to Combat Antisemitism, Report Finds

Pro-Palestine protesters occupy the CUNY Graduate Center in May 2024.

The City University of New York (CUNY) must do more to stop antisemitism on its 25 campuses throughout the five boroughs, according to a report released by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office Tuesday morning.

Retired Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, whom Hochul appointed last October to investigate the spread of hatred on CUNY campuses in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel, issued the 146-page report which indicated that the city’s public college system’s “current policies and procedures for preventing and addressing antisemitism and discrimination need to be significantly overhauled and updated.”

Lippman’s Report Outlines 13 Steps CUNY Should Take

Lippman’s report outlined 13 steps CUNY should take to stop the spread of hatred on campus, including creating centralized resources and an independent monitor to address complaints of antisemitism and discrimination; greater collaboration with law enforcement and security experts to establish safety protocols; set a definition of antisemitism as a guide to stop acts of hate; and draft and adopt a “Comprehensive Policy on Freedom of Speech and Expressive Conduct” that set “clear rules for time, place and manner of expressive conduct on campuses, consistent with the First Amendment.”

CUNY Chancellor Welcomes Report’s Findings

In response, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez welcomed the report’s findings, adding that CUNY has already taken “critical steps to combat hate and discrimination.”

Many Students ‘Do Not Feel Safe at All’

Lippman’s report followed an investigation that included more than 200 interviews with more than 300 CUNY students, faculty, staff, and experts over a 10-month period. Dozens of attorneys with Latham and Watkins LLP, a law firm where Lippman is of counsel, participated in the effort.

Conclusion

The report seemed to confirm a conclusion that the U.S. Department of Education drew earlier this year: That some CUNY schools failed to properly investigate antisemitism and Islamophobia. The report also highlighted the need for CUNY to do more to combat hate and discrimination on its campuses.

FAQs

Q: What did the report find?
A: The report found that CUNY’s current policies and procedures for preventing and addressing antisemitism and discrimination need to be significantly overhauled and updated.

Q: What are the 13 steps CUNY should take?
A: The 13 steps include creating centralized resources and an independent monitor to address complaints of antisemitism and discrimination; greater collaboration with law enforcement and security experts to establish safety protocols; set a definition of antisemitism as a guide to stop acts of hate; and draft and adopt a “Comprehensive Policy on Freedom of Speech and Expressive Conduct” that set “clear rules for time, place and manner of expressive conduct on campuses, consistent with the First Amendment.”

Q: What did CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez say about the report?
A: CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez welcomed the report’s findings, adding that CUNY has already taken “critical steps to combat hate and discrimination.”

Q: What is the U.S. Department of Education’s stance on CUNY’s handling of antisemitism and Islamophobia?
A: The U.S. Department of Education drew a conclusion earlier this year that some CUNY schools failed to properly investigate antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Q: What is the full list of Lippman report recommendations?
A: The full list of Lippman report recommendations can be found below:

• Centralize resources for dealing with discrimination by creating a University-wide center to address antisemitism and other forms of hate and instituting an internal antisemitism and hate monitor.
• Overhaul CUNY’s university-wide discrimination and retaliation reporting portal to better support individuals lodging complaints of antisemitism and discrimination.
• Help victims of antisemitism and discrimination navigate the investigative process and identify available resources by establishing a centralized Victim’s Advocate program.
• Coordinate with law enforcement and security experts to establish standardized safety protocols to help protect everyone and ensure all individuals feel safe on CUNY campuses.
• Provide guidance and training for campus chief diversity officers and others who are responsible for investigating antisemitism and discrimination allegations and implement a system of investigation oversight.
• Use the principles of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a guide to help determine what may constitute antisemitism, in line with Governor Hochul’s 2022 proclamation identifying the IHRA definition as a valuable tool.
• Ensure all those at CUNY, including campus leadership and chief diversity officers, use the law as a guide when handling incidents of antisemitism on campus, regardless of personal views of what constitutes antisemitism.
• Update current policies and procedures to ensure they provide uniform and clear guidance to address modern incidents of antisemitism and other forms of hate, including the use of social media; train students, faculty and staff on these policies; and consistently review and update these policies in the future to ensure they do not become out of date.
• Consistently hold students and faculty accountable for conduct violating CUNY’s policies and procedures through instituting new clear protocols.
• Draft and adopt a Comprehensive Policy on Freedom of Speech and Expressive Conduct, including clear rules for time, place and manner of expressive conduct on campuses, consistent with the First Amendment.
• Encourage leadership to lead by example and speak out forcefully against antisemitism and any form of hate, even when it may not directly violate the law or CUNY’s policies.
• Increase efforts to train and recruit faculty and staff who consistently encourage and promote inclusivity, constructive dialogue and tolerance.
• Promote dialogue among people holding different viewpoints and create additional joint programming.