Governor of New York Issues Warning of Legal Consequences for Universities Amid Rising Concerns of Antisemitism
NY governor issues strong warning to universities amidst concerns of antisemitism, vowing to take legal action if discrimination persists
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a stern warning to state colleges and universities on Saturday, cautioning of strict enforcement measures if discrimination laws are breached. This comes amid increasing pressure on educational institutions nationwide to address instances of antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas conflict. Hochul's letter follows controversial testimony given by the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who faced criticism for failing to explicitly condemn calls for the genocide of Jews as a violation of campus harassment and bullying policies during their appearance before Congress.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill has resigned, with immediate effect, according to a letter addressed to the Penn community. She will continue as a tenured professor at Penn Carey Law School. In her letter, Hochul directly addressed the presidents of the SUNY (State University of New York) and CUNY (City University of New York) systems.
"I was dismayed this week to witness the presidents of several prestigious universities, responsible for shaping the future leaders of tomorrow, fail to strongly condemn antisemitism and calls for genocide against the Jewish people on their campuses," the letter stated.
Hochul reported that she had discussed the issue with SUNY Chancellor John King and CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez, who both affirmed that advocating for genocide against any group would violate the university systems' code of conduct.
This week on Capitol Hill, Magill, Claudine Gay of Harvard University, and Sally Kornbluth of MIT refrained from explicitly stating whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate their code of conduct, noting it would depend on the circumstances and conduct.
Their responses sparked controversy over antisemitism on American college campuses. Gay later apologized for her remarks in an interview with the Harvard Crimson, and Magill faced intense pressure to resign.
UPenn and Harvard donors have warned that they will withdraw their support if the universities do not effectively address concerns of antisemitism.
In a letter, Hochul stated, "The appalling responses given during this week's congressional hearing are unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the state of New York."
She also cautioned that schools failing to address prejudice or hate toward students based on their ethnicity or nationality would be in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the New York State Human Rights Law.
"As Governor of New York, I want to emphasize that colleges and universities not complying with federal and state laws protecting students from discrimination may be deemed ineligible to receive state and federal funds," she wrote. "Rest assured, if any school in New York State is found to be in violation, I will mobilize the State Division of Human Rights to take strong enforcement action and will refer potential Title VI violations to the federal government."
Fourteen colleges and universities in the United States are currently being investigated by the Department of Education for alleged discrimination related to shared ancestry following the October 7 attacks by Hamas and subsequent strikes on Gaza by Israel. Although no SUNY or CUNY schools are involved, the investigation includes three private New York institutions: Union College, Columbia University, and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. The New York City Department of Education is also under investigation.
