New York governor orders removal of Palestinian studies positions at Hunter College

New York Governor Kathy Hochul's order to Hunter College to remove two job postings for Palestinian studies positions has once again raised questions about academic freedom in the state. This incident highlights concerns about political interference in higher education institutions and the potential impact on the autonomy of academic research and teaching.

Hunter College is one of the 25 campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY). The college had previously posted recruitment information seeking faculty members in the humanities and social sciences to "examine issues related to Palestine from a critical perspective, including but not limited to: colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid, population displacement, climate and infrastructure destruction, health, race, gender and sexuality." These recruitment postings were published on the CUNY website and announced on Monday afternoon, but were removed mid-week.

Sociology professor Shirly Geva-Mayer announced the positions on Bluesky, stating: "I'm thrilled to announce the Palestinian Studies cluster hire. As a faculty member, this makes me incredibly proud and is one of the reasons I feel so fortunate to work here." She also stated that she felt she was "the luckiest person in academia... proud that Hunter College is able to be a voice for justice in the face of so much horror."

However, according to a report by the New York Post, Governor Hochul took action on Tuesday, ordering the removal of the job postings to "ensure that anti-Semitic theories are not spread in the classroom." CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez and Board of Trustees Chairman William C. Thompson quickly responded, announcing that they agreed with Hochul's decision and would continue to "address anti-Semitism." In a joint statement, they said: "We find the language divisive, polarizing and inappropriate, and strongly agree with Governor Hochul’s directive that the posting be taken down, and we have ensured that Hunter College has done so. CUNY will continue to work with the Governor and other stakeholders to address anti-Semitism in our campuses and combat hate in all its forms."

The Professional Staff Congress, which represents 30,000 CUNY faculty and staff, has pushed back against the removal of the job postings, calling it "an infringement on academic freedom at Hunter College" in a letter to Hochul and Rodríguez. The letter stated: "We oppose anti-Semitism and all forms of hate, but this move is counterproductive. To exclude an entire field of academic inquiry is an overreach of power." A protest will be held at City College on Thursday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. against Hochul's order to remove the job postings. Geva-Mayer stated on Wednesday that she was "saddened by the dehumanization inherent in all of this."