REMARKS
Safety concerns of Jewish students at CUNY
1:14:53
·
69 sec
Council Member Vernikov concludes her questioning by expressing strong concerns about the safety and comfort of Jewish students on CUNY campuses. She asserts that the situation has worsened during the chancellor's tenure.
- Vernikov states that Jewish students only feel safe in Hillel Houses on campus
- She highlights that students don't feel safe expressing their Jewish identity or opinions in class
- The council member criticizes the chancellor's leadership, suggesting that the situation has deteriorated under his watch
Inna Vernikov
1:14:53
Well, I submit to you that things got worse.
1:14:56
While you are the chancellor, it's gotten worse on your watch.
1:14:58
And as council member Menon mentioned, we went to Baruch, and we're gonna go to other schools, which you, by the way, we I I think you should be doing as well, going to every school and talking to Jewish students.
1:15:09
But the students there told us that the only place on campus they feel safe is the Hillel House.
1:15:16
Is that acceptable, chancellor?
1:15:19
No.
1:15:20
But that's what's happening, and it's happening throughout the CUNY system on many campuses.
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:15:25
And to your point, I have visited with other Jewish students in those campus.
1:15:29
I've met with them in the central office to be able to gauge their feelings and their concerns.
1:15:34
We've had part of my team members visit all the Hillel campus, talk about, security issues.
1:15:39
So we've engaged with, the students in Hillel and some of the other Jewish students groups on campus too.
Inna Vernikov
1:15:45
And yet, they still do not feel safe and are not safe.
1:15:48
They don't feel safe going to class.
1:15:50
They don't feel safe expressing their opinions in class.
1:15:53
They don't feel safe expressing their Jewish identity, wearing yarmulkes.
1:15:56
That's all still happening.
1:15:58
I'll just I'll yield, and I'll ask you questions in my next round.
1:16:02
Thank you.
