The City University of New York’s anti-discrimination policies “need to be significantly overhauled” to help protect Jewish students on campus, according to a third-party review released Tuesday.
The 146-page report, ordered nearly a year ago by Gov. Hochul, found CUNY’s current system of handling complaints of antisemitism was ineffective and, in some cases, “may cause more harm than good.” Reviewers also found a “problematic lack of uniformity” in how anti-Jewish hatred is addressed across its 25 locations.
“My ultimate conclusion is that CUNY’s current policies and procedures for preventing and addressing antisemitism and discrimination need to be significantly overhauled and updated in order to handle the levels of antisemitism and discrimination that exist on CUNY’s campuses today,” wrote Jonathan Lippman, the former chief judge tapped for the review.
The report comes against the backdrop of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses earlier this year. Last semester, a wave of pro-Palestinian protests at CUNY culminated in hundreds of arrests on April 30 in Harlem. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dropped the charges for most demonstrators reprimanded at City College, but cases involving a defendant accused of assaulting police officers or possessing a weapon are still ongoing.
Dozens of attorneys at Lippman’s firm Latham & Watkins conducted more than 200 interviews and met with 300 people — most affiliated with CUNY, although some were religious leaders and free speech experts. Lippman’s findings were originally expected last spring.
“Amid a rising tide of antisemitism nationwide, CUNY has already taken critical steps to combat hate and discrimination,” Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said in a statement. “Recognizing there is more to do, we look forward to working on implementing Judge Lippman’s recommendations to redouble our efforts and build on our progress to create a more inclusive campus environment for students, faculty and staff.”
Lippman offered 13 recommendations, including: the creation of a compliance center that is already in the works, a redesigned portal for discrimination complaints, and a new “victim’s advocate” position who can help students feel heard.
And while he said CUNY should recognize that Zionism is part of many Jewish people’s identity, he stopped short of ordering the system to formally adopt that understanding of antisemitism.
He also said faculty should promote dialogue “rather than inflame conflict, which we often found to be the case” — adding they need to be held accountable and would be “well-served” by implicit bias training. A pilot on navigating difficult conversations is scheduled to start in October with college presidents, the chancellors’ cabinet, and 100 faculty and 50 students.
Lippman’s proposal is likely to stir up controversy with CUNY’s pro-Palestinian faculty group, which had already denounced the probe.
“These investigations serve to intimidate those that are contacted and generate a chilling effect around organizing in support of Palestine/Palestinians,” read an April statement from the CUNY chapter of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.
CUNY opened this school year with heightened security — including 50 more private officers this fall — and plans to survey students about discrimination across its 25 campuses. At the end of last week, Baruch College denied reports the CUNY campus in Kips Bay attempted to block a Rosh Hashanah gathering scheduled for Thursday.
And just days into the semester, demonstrators disrupted a welcome dinner for Hillel, the Jewish campus organization; CUNY announced it was investigating and “will not hesitate” to enforce discipline as appropriate.
Pro-Palestinian students have pushed back against CUNY’s new protocols this fall, describing them as an “attempt to further chill campus organizing.” The activists pointed to a recent crackdown on protest permits and student club registration rules. In Downtown Brooklyn, the City Tech chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine was asked to remove a Palestinian flag at a club fair, according to the group.
In June, CUNY settled with the U.S. Department of Education during a civil rights probe into the city’s public university system’s response to allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
“My top priority as Governor has always been to ensure the safety and security of every New Yorker,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement, “and right now, too many students at our colleges and universities do not feel safe. Let me be clear: we will not tolerate threats of antisemitism or hate of any kind.”
“As the tragic anniversary of the October 7th attacks approaches, we will be announcing additional resources to ensure the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers,” she added.