New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has initiated an enforcement action against colleges that violated discrimination laws, which protect students on campuses amid the rise in antisemitism.
On December 9, Hochul expressed her dismay at the failure of the presidents of several prominent universities to condemn antisemitism in a letter addressed to all colleges and universities in New York.
Hochul Initiates Enforcement Action
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 10: New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks to thousands at a 'New York Stands With Israel' vigil and rally on October 10, 2023 in New York City. Around the country and world, supporters of Israel are attending gatherings to show support for Israel following last weekends attacks by Palestinian militants that has left hundreds of civilians dead and over a hundred hostages taken into Gaza.
Hochul stated that the moral negligence shown in the disgraceful answers to questions posed during this week's congressional hearing cannot and will not be tolerated in New York. She said that she had discussions with the chancellor of the State University of New York, John King, and the chancellor of The City University of New York, Felix Matos Rodriguez, regarding antisemitism.
The chancellors have confirmed that calling for the genocide of any group of people would be considered a violation of the university system's code of conduct.
Furthermore, she emphasized that failure to address antisemitism on campuses would constitute a violation of New York State Human Rights Law as well as Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Hochul explained that under Title VI, any recipient of federal funds would be responsible for keeping the students free from a hostile environment based upon their ethnicity or national origin, which was a standard that has been applied to antisemitism.
"As Governor of New York, 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 said.
Magill's Resignation as President of the University of Pennsylvania
On December 9, the governor's letter followed the resignation of Elizabeth Magill as president of the University of Pennsylvania. Magill handed her resignation amid criticism for her refusal to declare that a call for the genocide of Jewish people would violate the university's code of conduct during a House committee hearing.
She pledged that she would consider a call for the genocide of Jewish people harassment or intimidation and would start evaluating campus policy on December 7.
Magill said in a video that she should have focused on the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people was a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings could perpetrate.
The chair of the University of Pennsylvania's board of trustees, Scott Bok, also handed his resignation on December 9.
Harvard University's President Claudine Gay apologized in an interview with The Crimson student newspaper. She said that she got caught up in a heated exchange at the House committee hearing and failed to denounce threats of violence against Jewish students properly.
Gay said that she should have had the presence of mind to return to her guiding truth that violence against the Jewish community has no place at Harvard and will never go unchallenged.
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