New York Governor Kathy Hochul has recently ordered the City University of New York (CUNY) to remove a job posting for a Palestinian studies professor role at Hunter College, citing concerns over potential antisemitic content.
The decision comes amid mounting pressure from Jewish watchdog groups and increased scrutiny over free speech on US university campuses.
The advertisement, initially published on Hunter College’s website, sought “a historically grounded scholar who takes a critical lens to issues pertaining to Palestine, including but not limited to: settler colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid, migration, climate and infrastructure devastation, health, race, gender, and sexuality.”
“We are open to diverse theoretical and methodological approaches,” the posting added.
The posting also mentioned that the position was part of a Palestinian Studies “cluster hire” for two roles.
A spokesperson for Hochul told the New York Post, “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.”
Following Hochul’s directive, CUNY has since removed it from its website.
The decision has sparked backlash from faculty members and academic freedom advocates. The Professional Staff Congress, the faculty and staff union at CUNY, condemned the move in a letter to Hochul, “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. 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.”
Despite the controversy, Hunter College reaffirmed its commitment to hiring experts in Palestinian history, culture, and society.
“We will be reviewing the posting process and look forward to adding scholars with expertise in this subject matter to our distinguished faculty,” the college stated.
The removal of the job listing follows a wave of pro-Palestine student protests across the US in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which reignited on 7 October 2023. The protests, which began at Columbia University in New York, led to the arrests of hundreds of students demonstrating at various universities.
