In a move that has ignited heated debate, New York Governor Kathy Hochul directed the City University of New York (CUNY) to swiftly remove a job posting for a Palestinian Studies professor at Hunter College. The listing, which framed the position through the lens of “settler colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid, migration, climate and infrastructure devastation, health, race, gender, and sexuality,” was quickly deleted following the directive.
A spokesperson for Governor Hochul explained the decision, stating, “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.”
CUNY Leadership Backs Removal
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and Board of Trustees Chair William C. Thompson Jr. supported the governor’s directive, calling the language used in the listing “divisive, polarizing, and inappropriate.” They confirmed that Hunter College had complied and taken down the posting.
The job had been advertised as part of a broader Palestinian Studies “cluster hire” aimed at bringing in multiple scholars to focus on the subject. However, it drew immediate condemnation from Jewish organizations and pro-Israel groups, who argued that its framing was steeped in antisemitic rhetoric.
Faculty Union Condemns Move as Attack on Academic Freedom
Not everyone agreed with the governor’s swift action. The Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the union representing CUNY faculty and staff, blasted the removal of the job listing as a violation of academic freedom.
“We strongly object to your removal of a job posting for a Palestinian Studies faculty position as a violation of academic freedom at Hunter College,” the PSC wrote in a letter addressed to Hochul and Rodríguez. “We oppose antisemitism and all forms of hate, but this move is counterproductive. It is an overreach of authority to rule an entire area of academic study out of bounds.”
The Broader Battle Over Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism
The controversy at CUNY is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing national debate over whether anti-Zionism equates to antisemitism. Pro-Palestinian protests erupted on college campuses across the U.S. following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent military actions in Gaza.
CUNY, in particular, became a focal point for such demonstrations, leading to arrests, administrative pushback, and state-level scrutiny. A report commissioned by Governor Hochul last September, authored by former state judge Jonathan Lippman, documented “an alarming number of unacceptable antisemitic incidents targeting members of the CUNY community.” The report recommended an overhaul of the university’s approach to combating antisemitism.
Jewish Voice for Peace and other groups have pushed back against the findings, arguing that anti-Zionism and antisemitism should not be conflated. One CUNY doctoral student called the Lippman report “a serious attack on the movement for Palestine,” insisting that Jewish activists have been at the forefront of separating anti-Zionist advocacy from antisemitic hate.
What Comes Next?
The removal of the job posting has amplified tensions between state leadership, university administrators, pro-Israel groups, and academic freedom advocates. As CUNY continues to grapple with internal investigations and external pressure, the broader fight over how universities handle discourse around Israel and Palestine shows no signs of slowing down.
With academic hiring and free speech rights now at the center of the battle, the fallout from this decision is likely to shape how universities nationwide approach the study of Palestine—and how they define the boundaries between scholarship and activism.