The College Fix

Professor says the university must ‘clean house’ to eliminate antisemitism

Hunter College in New York is reworking its “Palestinian Studies” job posting after an order from the governor.

The City University of New York college originally sought a professor with a focus on “settler colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid, migration, climate and infrastructure devastation, health, race, gender, and sexuality,” according to the announcement. The job posting also asked for a “record of public engagement and community action.”

That will no longer fly after Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the school to take down the original posting.

“Governor Hochul has directed CUNY to immediately remove this job posting and conduct a thorough review of the position to ensure that antisemitic theories are not promoted in the classroom,” a spokesperson told the media. The job posting went up around the same time the Professional Staff Congress rescinded its call to boycott Israel after just a month.  A retired judge’s investigation into the CUNY system. undertaken at the request of Gov. Hochul, previously flagged numerous issues of antisemitism.

The College Fix reached out via email to the assistant vice president for communications at Hunter College, Vince DiMiceli, to ask for a response to the criticism that the college is taking a stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The Fix reached out to Hunter College’s Director of Human Resources Gowrie Kamintzky via email and phone to ask if the college plans to create an alternative job description for the position, but has not received a response. However, The Nation reported that a new job posting has been submitted for approval and “faculty are still determined” to hire for the position.

Sociology Professor Heba Gowayed announced the cluster hire on social media on Feb. 24, calling it an “incredible source of pride” and “one of the many reasons that I feel so lucky to work here.”

The announcement eventually drew criticism from university leadership – but one CUNY professor told The College Fix more needs to be done to root out further problems in the system.

Jeffrey Lax, a CUNY law professor and founder of an organization dedicated to combating antisemitism within the public college system, expressed concern over the board of trustees’ approval of an “abhorrent” curriculum to support the hire.

“They’re the most classic [antisemitic] tropes of the modern time and developing a curriculum like that is abhorrent and should never have gone through,” Lax told The Fix in an interview.

According to the university’s guidelines for new program approval, proposed courses are evaluated by the college, the Board of Trustees and the state.

Lax criticized Board of Trustees Chair William Thompson for his hypocritical behavior regarding the hire.

Following the governor’s criticism, Thompson and Chancellor Félix Matos Rodriguez released a joint statement “strongly” agreeing with her position.

“We find this language divisive, polarizing and inappropriate and strongly agree with Governor Hochul’s direction to remove this posting, which we have ensured Hunter College has since done,” Thompson and Matos stated.

“CUNY will continue working with the Governor and other stakeholders to tackle antisemitism on our campuses and combat hate in all of its forms,” the pair said.

Lax commented on Thompson’s role in the approval of the curriculum and believes he should be fired for his actions.

“If you are approving despicable, hateful curriculum like that, you need to go,” Lax said. “You’re really not qualified to lead an institution of higher learning if that’s the kind of curriculum that you’re approving.”

“The ad itself only revealed what the hateful curriculum had within it,” Lax told The Fix.

Lax believes the only way to resolve the widespread antisemitism on campus is to get rid of the university’s leadership.

“I don’t think you can have any safety for Jewish people at the university until they clean house,” Lax told The Fix.

As part of a cluster hire in Palestinian Studies, Hunter College is looking to hire an anti-Israel activist.

A new job ad calls for an expert in “settler colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid, migration, climate and infrastructure devastation, health, race, gender and… pic.twitter.com/X3lzpq1R06

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) February 24, 2025

Steven McGuire, a fellow in campus freedom at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, criticized Hunter College’s attempt to hire “close-minded ideologues who will advance a predetermined political agenda.”

“Stressing that the ideal candidate should have a history of activism is especially galling, as universities should seek to hire scholars who are open to questions rather than activists who are accustomed to making demands,” McGuire told The Fix via email.

McGuire sees the university’s actions as part of a trend in higher education.

“Treating America’s institutions of higher education as bases for political operations has done great damage to them, as it has led to both public distrust and political opposition,” McGuire said.

He said the college should focus on informing students rather than “hiring ideological activists to engage in more of the intolerant, anti-Israel, and antisemitic behavior that has been on display at the college and elsewhere.”

MORE: Harvard faculty chair wants professors fired for criticizing trans surgeries

IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks to the public during an event. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul.

Like The College Fix on Facebook / Follow us on Twitter