Allegations of Systemic Antisemitism at City University of New York

A report by Students and Faculty for Equality at CUNY (S.A.F.E. CUNY) has raised serious allegations regarding systemic antisemitism at the City University of New York (CUNY). The report, titled "How CUNY Became the Most Systemically Antisemitic US University in Just Two Years," claims that there has been a deliberate effort to expunge Jewish individuals from leadership positions within the university. This shift is said to have begun in the mid-2010s, culminating in a complete absence of Jewish representation among CUNY's 80 campus presidents and senior leadership roles by March 2023.

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

The S.A.F.E. CUNY report outlines several key findings, including a significant reduction in recruitment efforts targeting Jewish students and staff. Historically, CUNY had a robust Jewish presence in its leadership, with many campus presidents and senior administrators being Jewish. However, by the late 2010s, this representation had nearly vanished. The report also highlights the influence of anti-Zionist sentiments and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement within CUNY's leadership, particularly pointing to Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez's support for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and his rejection of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

Chancellor Rodriguez has been criticized for hiring Saly Abd Alla, a former CAIR director and BDS activist, as CUNY’s Chief Diversity Officer, responsible for overseeing discrimination matters across the university. Additionally, James Davis, president of CUNY's faculty union, has been labeled a "publicly avowed" BDS activist, with allegations of him invoking antisemitic tropes during public hearings. The report also notes instances where CUNY has invited speakers with known antisemitic views, such as Nerdeen Kiswani, who has made inflammatory statements against Israelis.

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found that CUNY's Kingsborough campus discriminated against Orthodox and Zionist Jews, leading to a series of legal actions by Jewish faculty and students. The report claims that CUNY has failed to respond to these complaints and has engaged in retaliatory actions against those who report antisemitism. S.A.F.E. CUNY asserts that the university's leadership not only misunderstands antisemitism but actively works to undermine its definition as recognized by the majority of the Jewish community.

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

• "In a city with a 20% Jewish population, it is unfathomable that the largest urban US university located in that city failed to employ any Jewish administrative leaders by happenstance." — S.A.F.E. CUNY Report

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

• "Egregious retaliatory behavior like this is one of the many factors that currently make CUNY an unsafe place for Jews." — S.A.F.E. CUNY Report

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

• "Long before the nation was talking about widely infested campus antisemitism, we told you that it was coming and detailed exactly how it was happening across one of the largest and the most antisemitic university of them all." — Jeffrey Lax, CUNY Law Professor

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university

The allegations of systemic antisemitism at CUNY, as detailed in the S.A.F.E. CUNY report, highlight significant concerns regarding the university's leadership and its treatment of Jewish faculty and students. The ongoing legal actions and the university's responses will likely continue to draw scrutiny as the situation develops.

How CUNY became the most antisemitic US university