Gov. Kathy Hochul warned there will be consequences for Empire State universities that don’t discipline students and faculty who call for the genocide of Jews — following the shockingly tepid response of elite college presidents on Capitol Hill last week.
In a letter addressed to the presidents of colleges and universities across New York, Hochul said the state would take enforcement action against schools that allow antisemitism to go unchecked.
“The moral lapses that were evidenced by the disgraceful answers to questions posed during this week’s congressional hearing cannot and will not be tolerated here in the state of New York,” she wrote in the Saturday letter.
Hochul’s message was a clear response to the testimony given by the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who failed to offer an unequivocal answer when asked if calling for genocide against Jews would violate the schools’ codes of conduct.
“I was shocked to see the presidents of several prominent universities – current leaders that are responsible for educating young minds who will grow into the leaders of tomorrow – fail to clearly and unequivocally denounce antisemitism and calls for genocide of the Jewish people on their college campuses,” Hochul wrote in the letter.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has repeatedly appeared alongside Jewish faith leaders in the weeks since Hamas’ attack on Israel. Getty ImagesThe Democratic governor said she’s received affirmations from SUNY Chancellor John King and CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez that such speech would constitute a violation.
She added that the state would refer any instances left unchecked by the colleges to the state Division of Human rights, as well as the federal government for potential legal action under civil rights laws.
Hochul went as far as suggesting that colleges and universities could lose their funding if they don’t enforce their codes of conduct around hate.
Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise across New York in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. AFP via Getty Images“I want to reinforce that colleges and universities not in compliance with federal and state laws protecting students against discrimination can be deemed ineligible to receive state and federal funds,” she wrote.
UPenn President Liz Magill resigned Saturday in the wake of her testimony, with Harvard President Claudine Gay and MIT President Sally Kornbluth facing calls to step down as well.
House Republicans have said they are moving forward with a full throated investigation into the colleges and other elite universities.
University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill has stepped down amid backlash from her congressional testimony. The Washington Post via Getty Images
Harvard President Claudine Gay also has faced calls to resign. APAntisemitic incidents have been on the rise across New York in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, not least at higher education institutions.
Hochul has made a public effort to stand with the Jewish community, visiting students at Cornell University in the wake of antisemitic threats made there and assigning former Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann to investigate alleged hate at CUNY.
