City University of New York (CUNY) needs significant policy changes to be able to handle future antisemitism and discrimination reports, according to a review released Tuesday by Judge Jonathan Lippman.
Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asked Lippman in October 2023 to conduct the review after an increase in complaints following the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, according to a press release. Lippman found that CUNY’s policies on handling antisemitism and discrimination were outdated and inconsistent to modern-day issues, since they have not been revised in nearly a decade.
“As set forth in my report, I believe 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,” Lippman wrote. “In that regard, while my mandate was not to opine on whether specific past conduct at CUNY constituted antisemitism, I feel compelled to note that recently there has been an alarming number of unacceptable antisemitic incidents targeting members of the CUNY community.”
CUNY faced intense anti-Israel protests during the spring semester, and agitators caused over $3 million in damage at the City College of New York’s Upper Manhattan campus. Protesters took over a CUNY graduate center library, attempting to rename it “The Al Aqsa University Library.”
The New York Police Department expressed concern in August that CUNY would not be prepared to be able to handle protests in the fall. The officers noted that they could be vastly outnumbered if protests took place again.
“I recommend that CUNY institute protocols to address, discipline, and remediate conduct and speech that violates CUNY’s policies and procedures. As part of those efforts, the entire CUNY community, and especially students and faculty, should be trained on CUNY’s policies and procedures and relevant law with respect to antisemitism, discrimination, and the First Amendment,” Lippman wrote.
Lippman also suggested that the university “establish a centralized victim’s advocate position,” which would “assist individuals in the CUNY community to navigate the investigative process” and provide additional resources, as well as establish time, place and manner restrictions in coordination with law enforcement to boost campus security.
“My top priority as Governor has always been to ensure the safety and security of every New Yorker, and right now, too many students at our colleges and universities do not feel safe,” Hochul said in the press release. “Let me be clear: we will not tolerate threats of antisemitism or hate of any kind. Every New Yorker must be free to live, learn and worship without fear of harassment or violence.”
Hochul’s office and CUNY did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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