CUNY names ‘reproductive justice’ professorship after abortion facility founder 

UPDATED

The City University of New York announced the creation of what it says is the first “sexual and reproductive justice” professorship.

The new “Byllye Avery Professorship in Sexual and Reproductive Justice” will be part of CUNY’s graduate school of public health and health policy, according to the news release. It is named after Avery (pictured), who started an abortion facility in 1974.

The first professor will be hired for the next fall semester. The graduate school will begin offering a concentration in sexual and reproductive justice as part of its graduate public health degree starting in January 2026. 

The school says the program will provide “scholars with the resources necessary to conduct research and pedagogy that centers the experiences of Black women, Indigenous women, other women of color, and all minoritized and marginalized people.”

Avery, according to the job posting, is “a trailblazer in advancing global sexual and reproductive justice through providing health care services, education and advocacy.” She is the founder of the Black Women’s Health Imperative.

The position’s goals include training “the next generation of activist-scholars,” and “[i]ncreasing access to culturally responsive sexual and reproductive health services.”

The public university system did not respond to two emails sent in the past two weeks that asked for more information on the goals of the program and its funding. The Fix contacted Katherine Hartley, the listed media contact on the news release. She manages press relations for the School of Public Health’s Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub.

It appears an endowment aims to raise $2 million to fund the professorship.

Avery did not respond to a request for comment via her website in the past several weeks either.

However, a pro-life group in New York questioned whether the curriculum will be open to a variety of viewpoints.

Feminists Choosing Life of New York told The Fix that the class descriptions “were far from transparent and failed to describe any elements not in line with the pro-abortion/choice narrative.” 

“[C]oursework on reproductive justice could be beneficial to students, as long as it is balanced, honest and transparent,” the group stated in emailed comments to The Fix. The curriculum should also “comprehensively [teach] about the alternatives to abortion, fetal development, as well as the negative impacts of abortion on women, per peer-reviewed studies and analysis.”

Feminists Choosing for Life also said abortion and racial justice issues are in conflict.

 “Abortion diminishes DEI,” the group told The Fix. “Abortion is the opposite of ‘intersectionality.’”

The new position will be for a “senior faculty member” who will be paid between $180,000 to $200,000 according to the job description. 

A proven “[c]ommitment to innovative, justice-centered pedagogy and capacity to mentor faculty, staff and students from diverse backgrounds,” and “to advancing equity and justice in public health research and education,” are among the desired qualifications.

As part of its “equal employment opportunity” statement, the system “encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply.”

“At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups,” the system says.

Editor’s note: The article has been updated with the name of the contacted media rep for CUNY.

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