PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dr. Sara Fredman Aeder, Vice President of Israel and Jewish Affairs at Jewish Community Relations Council of New York on CUNY's Response to Lippman Report
3:41:54
·
101 sec
Dr. Sara Fredman Aeder, representing the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, testified on CUNY's response to the Lippman report regarding antisemitism and discrimination. She emphasized the need for immediate centralization of CUNY's approach to handling these issues, despite the planned Center for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging.
- Recommended implementing uniform centralized investigation protocols, training standards, complaint reporting systems, and oversight mechanisms across all CUNY campuses
- Urged the city council to provide resources for establishing these centralized systems immediately
- Stressed the importance of a coherent framework for addressing hate and bias across all 25 CUNY institutions to ensure equal treatment for all students
Sara Fredman Aeder
3:41:54
Good afternoon, chair Dinowitz and members of the Higher Education Committee.
3:41:58
I am doctor Sara Fredman Ader, vice president of Israel and Jewish Affairs at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.
3:42:05
On behalf of JCRC, which is the primary community relations entity for the Jewish people in the metropolitan New York area, we thank you for the opportunity to testify concerning judge Littman's report and the City University of New York's response.
3:42:18
Judge Littman's report identifies CUNY's decentralized approach to the handling of anti semitism and discrimination as an issue that requires immediate remedy.
3:42:27
While we commend CUNY's plan to establish the Center For Inclusive Excellence and Belonging, centralizing oversight and procedures cannot wait for this center to become operational.
3:42:38
The current system where each campus independently investigates and judges similar incidents severely undermines equal protection, fairness, and confidence in CUNY's response to adequately handle these types of occurrences.
3:42:51
In light of judge Littmann's report, JCRC recommends that CUNY needs immediate resources to implement uniform centralized investigation protocols, training standards, complaint reporting systems, and oversight mechanisms.
3:43:05
We urge the city council to provide CUNY the resources to establish these centralized systems now.
3:43:10
CUNY's 25 institutions must operate under one coherent framework when addressing hate and bias.
3:43:17
Justice demands equal treatment regardless of which campus a student attends.
3:43:21
JCRC stands ready to support CUNY and the city council in this vital work of creating one coherent framework for addressing hate and bias across the entire system.
3:43:30
We wanna thank the committee and chair Dinowitz again for convening this hearing today.
3:43:34
Thank you.
