Latest news with #InnaVernikov
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Felix Matos Rodriguez to remain CUNY chancellor despite anti-Israel violence
The controversial chancellor of CUNY will continue to run the largest public urban university in the US — despite criticism over anti-Israel protests that have plagued its campuses, including Brooklyn College, The Post has learned. CUNY's Board of Trustees recently conducted a job performance review of Felix Matos Rodriguez, who nabbed the gig in 2019, and gave him a thumbs up to continue overseeing 25 campuses and institutions, including 11 senior colleges, 7 community colleges, and 7 graduate, honors, and professional schools, sources said. 'He's staying,' CUNY Board chairman Bill Thompson told The Post. Advertisement Another CUNY official, referring to Matos Rodrugez's nickname, said, 'Felo has considerable support on the board. He's not going anywhere.' Sources said Matos Rodriguez received high marks for steering CUNY through the COVID-19 pandemic that preceded the heated Gaza-related campus demonstrations. 3 CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodríguez will stay on to run the school. Advertisement The latest protest at Brooklyn College last Thursday saw anti-Israel student agitators brawl with cops after they set up a tent encampment — with one officer being forced to fire a Taser to subdue a violent protester. At least 14 people were taken into custody during the melee, the NYPD said. A bipartisan group of nine New York City and state lawmakers condemned the chancellor in a scathing letter following the violence, demanding that Brooklyn College take swift action. 'It is unacceptable but not surprising that almost two years after October 7th — after an investigation into CUNY and several public hearings — we are still grappling with disruptive and criminal behavior against Jewish students, encampments and masked agitators on campus,' the letter, obtained exclusively by The Post, read. Advertisement One of the signees, councilmember Inna Vernikov, went so far as to call on the chancellor to resign if he didn't sort out the chaos. 'There are only two ways to end the pro-terror anarchy that has infested our campuses: for the CUNY Chancellor to either step up or step down,' she told The Post on Sunday. In another frightening incident, anti-Israel criminals caused at least $3 million in damage and the need for costly extra security at taxpayer-funded City College's campus in Upper Manhattan during a violent protest there last year. 3 Councilwoman Inna Vernikov has been calling out CUNY to crack down on anti-Israel protesters. Stephen Yang Advertisement Matos Rodriguez — the first CUNY chancellor of Hispanic descent, who pulls in $670,000 a year — serves at the pleasure of the board, whose members are appointed by the governor and mayor. The confirmation of his job status comes after rumors swirled that he was stepping down. Matos Rodriguez, for his part, said he loves the job and wants to continue heading CUNY 'as long as I can.' 'I'm deeply committed to CUNY. Leading our students, faculty and staff is the honor of a lifetime, and I will continue to serve our incredible community for as long as I can,' Matos Rodriguez said in a statement to The Post. On Sunday, he also attended a Mother's Day celebration at Queens College to celebrate families of children with autism, and stayed for two hours, sources said — bucking any signs he was packing it in. 3 A series of anti-Israel protests have broken out on the campus as of late. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/Shutterstock Meanwhile, in a reply to the letter from the lawmakers, Matos Rodriguez defended his response to the Brooklyn College protests. 'That is why on May 8, when protestors violated CUNY policies, Brooklyn College President Michelle Anderson followed our protocol and requested NYPD assistance on campus,' he said. Advertisement He also addressed what he called 'inaccuracies' in the lawmakers' letter. Brooklyn College closed the campus library only as a precautionary measure because the protest was nearby, he insisted — and final exams were not in session during the melee. He also vowed that the college is investigating the actions and conduct of all CUNY faculty, staff or students who may have violated CUNY policies or the law. Brooklyn College and CUNY have also provided additional security for the Jewish student group Hillel, the chancellor added. Advertisement 'We will continue to fight antisemitism anywhere we find it and to ensure that campuses across CUNY are safe, welcoming, and secure for all students,' he said. Still, reports of campus antisemitism are of such concern that Gov. Hochul ordered a review of Jew hatred at CUNY campuses in 2023. The analysis — released last September and overseen by former state chief judge Jonathan Lippman –concluded that CUNY needed a top-to-bottom overhaul to combat 'alarming'' antisemitism fanned by its own faculty and do-nothing higher-ups. Advertisement A native of Puerto Rico, Matos Rodriguez previously headed CUNY's Queens College and Hostos Community College, and had served as cabinet secretary for Puerto Rico's Department of Family Services. Matos Rodriguez is set to testify before the City Council on Thursday regarding the municipal budget for higher education.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY city and state lawmakers condemn CUNY chancellor after anti-Israel melee at Brooklyn College: ‘Step up or step down'
A bipartisan group of nine New York City and state lawmakers is demanding Brooklyn College take swift action after a mob of anti-Israel protesters brawled with cops on campus Thursday, resulting in more than a dozen arrests. 'It is unacceptable but not surprising that almost two years after October 7th — after an investigation into CUNY and several public hearings — we are still grappling with disruptive and criminal behavior against Jewish students, encampments and masked agitators on campus,' reads a May 9 letter to Brooklyn College chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez exclusively obtained by The Post. The letter was signed by Councilmembers Inna Vernikov, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse, and Robert Holden, and Assemblymembers Kalman Yeger, Lester Chang, Eric Ari Brown, Jamie Williams and Alec Brook-Krasny. The chaos erupted around 4:50 p.m. Thursday after a group of agitators attempted to start a tent encampment on the Bedford Avenue campus as students were studying for finals. The protesters 'erected tents on the Brooklyn College quad in violation of college policy,' a Brooklyn College spokesperson said in a statement. 'After multiple warnings to take the tents down and disperse, members of CUNY Public Safety and NYPD removed the tents and dispersed the crowd,' he added. 'The safety of our campus community will always be paramount, and Brooklyn College respects the right to protest while also adhering to strict rules meant to ensure the safe operation of our University and prohibit individuals from impeding access to educational facilities.' The NYPD arrested at least 14 people during the fracas. However, police waited 'for hours' outside the school's gate before they were allowed on campus to disperse the rioters, the lawmakers' letter said. Judge Jonathan Lippman — a highly respected, retired state chief judge — conducted a damning 10-month probe into antisemitism at CUNY schools at Gov. Kathy Hochul's behest last year. Among the findings were that the state schools' own professors at times fanned the flames of campus antisemitism, and that the CUNY system needs a major overhaul to address the 'alarming' problem. The lawmakers pointed to an incident on Thursday in which faculty members 'stood in lockstep' with the anti-Israel protesters chanting 'We don't want no Zionists here,' including a staffer named Zeno Wood — who the group claims 'showed the middle finger' to a Jewish student. The school's website lists Wood as a piano technician at Brooklyn College. He did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment on Sunday. Among the demands outlined in the letter is an investigation into Wood, as well as any other faculty members who took part in the protest. The pols further called for those who are alleged to have engaged in misconduct to be terminated. The group also requested extra security at the school's Hillel house, the college's off-campus home for Jewish life, which they say protesters targeted after cops escorted them off campus. Additionally, they said the school must 'immediately' prohibit facial coverings except for medical reasons across the CUNY system, and allow NYPD to enter campus grounds as soon as safety officers secure the buildings during unlawful disruptions. The letter requires a response no later than the end of business on Monday, May 12. Vernikov went a step beyond the letter and called on the chancellor to resign if he didn't sort out the chaos. 'There are only two ways to end the pro-terror anarchy that has infested our campuses: for the CUNY Chancellor to either step up or step down,' she told The Post Sunday. 'We are far past the time of allowing leadership at the top to play politics with the lives of Jewish students. Inaction isn't going to slide anymore.' The incident at Brooklyn College came a day after dozens of masked anti-Israel radicals stormed Columbia University's Butler library, resulting in 80 arrests. The Ivy League school handed out dozens of interim suspensions to students involved in the takeover pending further investigation. In March, Columbia agreed to adhere to a series of Trump administration demands aimed at curbing campus antisemitism, under threat of losing around $400 million in federal funds.
New York Post
11-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NY lawmakers condemn CUNY chancellor after anti-Israel melee at Brooklyn College: 'Step up or step down'
A bipartisan group of nine New York City and state lawmakers is demanding Brooklyn College take swift action after a mob of anti-Israel protesters brawled with cops on campus Thursday, resulting in more than a dozen arrests. 'It is unacceptable but not surprising that almost two years after October 7th — after an investigation into CUNY and several public hearings — we are still grappling with disruptive and criminal behavior against Jewish students, encampments and masked agitators on campus,' reads a May 9 letter to Brooklyn College chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez exclusively obtained by The Post. 5 NYC councilmembers and state assemblymembers penned a scathing letter to Brooklyn College chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez after a violent fracas on campus Thursday night culminating in 14 arrests. FreedomNewsTV 5 The bipartisan letter was penned by NY councilwoman Inna Vernikov and signed by eight of her colleagues in the council and state assembly. Stephen Yang The letter was signed by Councilmembers Inna Vernikov, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse, and Robert Holden, and Assemblymembers Kalman Yeger, Lester Chang, Eric Ari Brown, Jamie Williams and Alec Brook-Krasny. The chaos erupted around 4:50 p.m. Thursday after a group of agitators attempted to start a tent encampment on the Bedford Avenue campus as students were studying for finals. The protesters 'erected tents on the Brooklyn College quad in violation of college policy,' a Brooklyn College spokesperson said in a statement. 'After multiple warnings to take the tents down and disperse, members of CUNY Public Safety and NYPD removed the tents and dispersed the crowd,' he added. 5 The melee began after anti-Israel demonstrators attempted to set up a tent encampment on the Bedford Avenue campus as students were studying for finals. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/Shutterstock 'The safety of our campus community will always be paramount, and Brooklyn College respects the right to protest while also adhering to strict rules meant to ensure the safe operation of our University and prohibit individuals from impeding access to educational facilities.' The NYPD arrested at least 14 people during the fracas. However, police waited 'for hours' outside the school's gate before they were allowed on campus to disperse the rioters, the lawmakers' letter said. Judge Jonathan Lippman — a highly respected, retired state chief judge — conducted a damning 10-month probe into antisemitism at CUNY schools at Gov. Kathy Hochul's behest last year. 5 The letter was addressed to CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, whom Vernikov said to either 'step up or step down.' AFP via Getty Images Among the findings were that the state schools' own professors at times fanned the flames of campus antisemitism, and that the CUNY system needs a major overhaul to address the 'alarming' problem. The lawmakers pointed to an incident on Thursday in which faculty members 'stood in lockstep' with the anti-Israel protesters chanting 'We don't want no Zionists here,' including a staffer named Zeno Wood — who the group claims 'showed the middle finger' to a Jewish student. The school's website lists Wood as a piano technician at Brooklyn College. He did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment on Sunday. Among the demands outlined in the letter is an investigation into Wood, as well as any other faculty members who took part in the protest. The pols further called for those who are alleged to have engaged in misconduct to be terminated. 5 The anti-Israel demonstration at Brooklyn College came a day after another chaotic protest at Columbia University, in which 80 people were arrested and the Ivy League school meted out dozens of suspensions. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/Shutterstock The group also requested extra security at the school's Hillel house, the college's off-campus home for Jewish life, which they say protesters targeted after cops escorted them off campus. Additionally, they said the school must 'immediately' prohibit facial coverings except for medical reasons across the CUNY system, and allow NYPD to enter campus grounds as soon as safety officers secure the buildings during unlawful disruptions. The letter requires a response no later than the end of business on Monday, May 12. Vernikov went a step beyond the letter and called on the chancellor to resign if he didn't sort out the chaos. 'There are only two ways to end the pro-terror anarchy that has infested our campuses: for the CUNY Chancellor to either step up or step down,' she told The Post Sunday. 'We are far past the time of allowing leadership at the top to play politics with the lives of Jewish students. Inaction isn't going to slide anymore.' The incident at Brooklyn College came a day after dozens of masked anti-Israel radicals stormed Columbia University's Butler library, resulting in 80 arrests. The Ivy League school handed out dozens of interim suspensions to students involved in the takeover pending further investigation. In March, Columbia agreed to adhere to a series of Trump administration demands aimed at curbing campus antisemitism, under threat of losing around $400 million in federal funds.
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC Council passes bills to crack down on tour helicopters and add new gender option to city docs
The City Council passed a slew of bills Thursday — including one that would ban noisy non-essential helicopter flights from city heliports following the horrific crash in the Hudson that killed a family of tourists and another to add a new gender ID to city documents. The two bills easily passed the Democratic-majority council but still need Mayor Eric Adams' signature to become laws. A proposal aimed at cracking down on tour and commuter helicopters passed near unanimously — just two weeks after a couple and their three young kids visiting from Spain and a Navy veteran pilot all died when their chopper broke apart and plunged into the Hudson River. Intro 26-A would prohibit such 'non-essential' choppers that fail to meet FAA noise standards from using two city heliports at East 34th Street and Wall Street, beginning in late 2029. The bill passed 46-1-1 with Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov voting against and Democratic Councilman Simcha Felder abstaining. 4 Councilwoman Inna Vernikov voted 'nay' on Intro 246-A Paul Martinka 4 Councilman Erik Bottcher defended bills expanding gender affirming care. Paul Martinka 'Intro 26 is a bold step toward a healthier, quieter, and more equitable city,' said Majority Leader Amanda Farias, who sponsored the bill. 'For far too long, non-essential helicopter flights have disrupted daily life and endangered the well-being of New Yorkers. This bill uses the City's authority over our heliports to phase out the noisiest, most outdated aircraft, while making space for safer, cleaner, electric aviation.' Meanwhile, Intro 246-A, which would add the gender 'X' to city documents, where such information is requested, passed despite conservative backlash. 4 Intro 26-A was passed by the council following a crash in the Hudson River that left 6 dead. Paul Martinka The bill, sponsored by Democratic councilmember Crystal Hudson, would require any agency that provides social services to add the new gender identifier as an option to applicable documents. The legislation — which was introduced in a group of bills to protect the rights of trans and gender non-conforming New Yorkers — passed 41-5-2, with Republicans Vernikov, Joann Ariola, Vickie Paladino, Kristy Marmorato and Democrat Bob Holden voting 'no,' and Felder and Democrat Darlene Mealy abstaining. 'Let me be clear, I am not here to judge how consenting adults choose to live their lives, but don't bring that agenda into our public schools, our libraries and public spaces, and don't force it onto our children,' Vernikov said about the bill. 4 'For far too long, non-essential helicopter flights have disrupted daily life and endangered the well-being of New Yorkers.' NYPD Lefty council members hit back at her comments on LGBTQ folk, including openly gay councilman Erik Bottcher. 'They're not … going out, trying to recruit other people. It's a vicious, vicious stereotype,' the Democrat shot back. The package of LGBTQ bills was introduced as the Trump administration 'threatens trans and gender non-confirming New Yorkers,' council members said. Adams did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his view of the bills.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Homeless shelter replaces affordable housing site in Brooklyn: councilwoman
SHEEPSHEAD BAY, Brooklyn (PIX11) – A Brooklyn lot approved for affordable housing units is instead being used to build a homeless shelter, according to New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov. A large crowd protested outside the Coyle Street site on Tuesday, arguing that it's too close to nearby schools and day care centers. More Local News Vernikov wrote on X that the City Council voted for housing to be built at the site, not a shelter. 'This is an UNACCEPTABLE bait and switch!' she said. 'The plans were changed with NO input from the community or representatives. Is the New York City government just going to ignore and undermine the wants and needs of the community?' Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse, whose district neighbors Vernikov's, urged neighbors on Facebook to call the mayor's office and the Department of Social Services to demand only affordable housing be built in the lot. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Community Board 15 is scheduled to host a presentation about the Coyle Street shelter next week. The presenters are Westhab – a nonprofit that offers affordable housing and wraparound services. A similar protest was held in Borough Park last week, where a homeless shelter that will house 82 families will open up this year. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
