PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Avi Posnick, Northeast Regional Director of Stand With Us, on CUNY's Response to Antisemitism
3:36:49
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115 sec
Avi Posnick, representing Stand With Us, testified on CUNY's efforts to combat antisemitism, praising initiatives while emphasizing the need for further action. He focused on Recommendation 9 from the Lippman report, which addresses accountability for faculty and others engaging in antisemitic conduct.
- Highlighted the importance of balancing free speech with creating a safe environment for students
- Called for clearer policies regarding student groups using official campus names and social media accounts for potentially intimidating activities
- Emphasized the need for accountability, especially for professors participating in protests that intimidate Jewish students
Avi Posnick
3:36:49
Good afternoon.
3:36:50
Thank you, chair Danowitz and the New York City Council Higher Ed Committee and all the members of the council who are here for convening this hearing.
3:36:55
My name is Avi Posnick, and I'm the northeast regional director for Stand With Us, an international education organization that empowers students to fight antisemitism.
3:37:03
We have, of course, been following the developments at CUNY over the years and are grateful for the work of Judge Lippman.
3:37:08
There have been a number of initiatives that the chancellor has supported meant to fight antisemitism, and we need to support and build upon those.
3:37:16
CUNY itself has said that they will work to implement the judge's recommendations, and we thank the CUNY chancellor for that.
3:37:21
However, as the report has said, there is still more work to be done.
3:37:24
And as you will hear, and as you've heard already, from some of the students here today, while we are excuse me.
3:37:30
There is one recommendation, among the many recommendations that I think should all be implemented, but one I'd like to focus on because of an issue that we've seen reoccurring and members of the council have already, alluded to that.
3:37:41
Recommendation 9 talks about holding faculty and others accountable for violative conduct.
3:37:46
We agree with the judge who said students and faculty must be permitted to exercise their First Amendment rights fully and without restriction, and faculty must be free to challenge students even if that means exposing them to uncomfortable concepts.
3:37:57
However, when students or faculty, including tenured faculty, violate CUNY's policies and procedures or otherwise engage in anti Semitic conduct or conduct that creates an unsafe environment at CUNY, they must be held accountable.
3:38:08
We encourage CUNY to update, clarify, and make clear policies regarding student groups using their official campus names and social media accounts, promoting activities that intimidate students and others, even those that are just outside the campus gates as we've heard before.
3:38:22
Professors who join these protests intimidating Jewish students walking past.
3:38:25
The right to freedom of speech and protest must be upheld, but we believe there needs to be clarification regarding the use of official CUNY names and accounts and though and the role of of a professor who is supposed to be a role model and influence of students.
3:38:38
Thank you again, and we look forward to continuing to work with CUNY, this committee, and all of our partners to protect Jewish students on campus.
