Latest news with #MatosRodríguez
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
University Leaders Face Tough Questions in House Hearing on Antisemitism
Three university leaders faced harsh questioning Tuesday during a House hearing about antisemitism on college campuses, as Republicans demanded answers about their handling of statements by students and faculty that the lawmakers found antisemitic. In a three-hour hearing, Robert Groves, interim president of Georgetown University, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, chancellor of the City University of New York, and Rich Lyons, chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley, asserted a commitment to combating anti-Jewish hatred while defending campus rights to free expression. Groves has been in his position since last year, Matos Rodríguez since 2019 and Lyons since last summer. Tuesday's is the latest of a series of hearings over alleged failures to protect Jewish students that the House Committee on Education and the Workforce has held since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Tuesday's hearing had combative moments but was less explosive than some previous ones. Earlier hearings put intense personal scrutiny on leaders of other universities, some of whom eventually resigned after controversial exchanges with lawmakers. The hearing was briefly interrupted a number of times by protesters yelling, 'There's blood on your hands' and 'Free Palestine!' After the fourth interruption, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Florida) yelled, 'Shut up and get out of here!' to the demonstrators, then turned to the university presidents and said he blamed them for the disruptions. 'I hold you all responsible for this,' he said. 'It is the attitude that you have allowed on your college campuses that make people think that this is okay.' Facing questions about specific cases of alleged antisemitism on their campuses, the university leaders sometimes demurred or said they could not comment on individual disciplinary matters. In one case, however, Groves said that Jonathan Brown, a professor still listed on his faculty page as the chair of Islamic civilization at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, had been stripped of his chair title after posting on X last month that he hoped 'Iran does some symbolic strike on a base' amid news of U.S. strikes on Iran. 'He's on leave and we are reviewing the case,' Groves told lawmakers. Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Michigan) said he found the news 'encouraging' but 'long overdue.' Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Walberg questioned Matos Rodríguez about a Palestinian studies job posting at Hunter College that called for scholars who could 'take a critical lens' on issues including 'settler colonialism, genocide, human rights, apartheid' and other topics. The listing was removed in February following a demand from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). 'We made sure to tell Hunter College that it was entirely inappropriate to have that posting,' Matos Rodríguez said at the hearing. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina) pressed Matos Rodríguez on whether he sees it as problematic that the president of CUNY's faculty and staff union personally supports BDS – the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement that targets Israel. In response, the president stressed that the union 'does not speak for' CUNY. Foxx responded: 'You obviously don't think it's problematic.' Pressed by Fine and Rep. Lisa C. McClain (R-Michigan) on why history professor Ussama Makdisi, who had posted on social media, 'I could have been one of those who broke through the siege on October 7,' had not faced discipline at UC-Berkeley, Lyons said Makdisi is a 'fine scholar.' McClain retorted: 'I'm sure there's a lot of murderers in prison who are fine people, too, fine scholars, but they do some pretty nefarious and heinous acts.' Makdisi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania) pushed Groves to condemn a Georgetown employee who had compared Israel's actions in Gaza to Nazi concentration camps in a social media post. 'I reject those kinds of statements,' Groves said. 'I want everyone to know that to the extent that that hurt Jewish students, Jewish faculty, Jewish staff at Georgetown, I apologize for that,' he added. Republicans repeatedly criticized the leaders' handling of faculty unions, which Walberg said have 'played a critical role in fomenting the rise of antisemitism.' The committee's first hearing on antisemitism, in December 2023, put the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University under intense scrutiny over an exchange with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York), who asked whether the presidents would punish students if they called for the genocide of Jews. Claudine Gay of Harvard and Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania said their response would depend on context. Both resigned in the aftermath. The next hearing, four months later, also sparked controversy as the president of Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, drew criticism from some members of the university when she denounced specific professors and revealed disciplinary details, taking a more aggressive stance against pro-Palestinian leaders on her campus. She also later stepped down from the role. The GOP's critics say the hearings do not represent genuine efforts to combat hatred directed at Jewish students, but rather an attempt to use antisemitism as a pretext to stem anti-Israel rhetoric on American campuses – and cut funding for those institutions. 'I am extremely disappointed in the majority for exploiting my community's legitimate fears and concerns as they advance discriminatory, regressive, unconstitutional, and harmful policy,' Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) said. 'Jewish Americans and the American people deserve better.' Democrats also criticized the hearings as political theater and condemned the congressional committee's focus on antisemitism as coming at the exclusion of other urgent concerns. 'This is yet another hearing to demonize Muslims and their religion, to demonize Palestinians, including those in Gaza,' Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pennsylvania) said. The Trump administration has leaned on allegations of antisemitism to go after elite universities including Harvard, UC-Berkeley and Columbia in an unprecedented attack on the nation's higher education system. As administration officials have opened investigations into schools and sought to strip them of federal funding, they have expanded their probes beyond antisemitism. The administration has opened two investigations into the University of California, one probing alleged antisemitism and the other investigating its hiring practices for evidence of diversity measures. The schools in Tuesday's spotlight have looked to portray themselves as hard on antisemitism, in part by cracking down on encampments – a movement that swept college campuses in the spring of last year. CUNY was the site of a prominent encampment in New York City and the attempted occupation of an administration building. The school eventually brought in New York police, leading to the arrest of dozens of protesters. 'We learned from that experience,' Matos Rodríguez said in his opening statement, saying the school significantly beefed up security. 'We now have a zero-tolerance policy against encampments.' The encampment at UC-Berkeley ended after the school agreed to review its investments following three weeks of pitched tents and protests. The school strengthened its rules against encampments and banned face masks under some circumstances. Georgetown largely avoided the high-profile encampments that roiled many campuses last year, as D.C.-area student protesters gathered for a united encampment at George Washington University, blocks from the White House. In 2024, the university hosted families of Americans who were taken hostage by Hamas in the 2023 attack for a speaking event, which Groves stressed in his statement to the committee. In a letter to the House committee last week, some of the family members praised Georgetown and its students and faculty. 'During a fraught time in so many public spaces after October 7, 2023, Georgetown created space for something different: a conversation rooted in empathy, dignity, and truth,' the families wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Rep. Elise Stefanik skewers CUNY chancellor, calls for his ouster over ‘failed' leadership on NYC campus antisemitism
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik skewered the head of CUNY — calling on him to resign for 'failing Jewish students' and for flunking his House testimony Tuesday on combating campus antisemitism. The Republican congresswoman zeroed in on Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez over the hiring of a chief diversity officer who previously worked for a pro-Hamas, Israel-bashing group — saying that if the CUNY boss doesn't step down, Gov. Kathy Hochul should bounce him. 'You have failed the people of New York. You have failed Jewish students in New York State, and it is a disgrace,' Stefanik — who is mulling a run for governor against Hochul next year — told the chancellor during the House Education & Workforce Committee hearing. Advertisement 7 Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questions the panel of witnesses during a House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee hearing on 'Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology' on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Washington. AP She grilled Matos Rodríguez about CUNY's hiring of Saly Abd Alla, who had previously been employed as a civil rights director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. 'I was not directly responsible for that hire,' Matos Rodríguez, who has overseen CUNY's 26 degree-granting institutions since 2019, insisted when asked if he was aware of Abd Alla's previous employer. Advertisement CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation case involving the funneling over $12 million to Hamas, Stefanik noted. 'You hired Abd Alla as CUNY's chief diversity officer, and this role includes overseeing antisemitism complaints and initiatives. Were you aware at that time that this senior administrator that you hired was previously employed by CAIR?' Stefanik asked. Matos Rodríguez said Abd Alla was hired to be the chief diversity officer 'at the central office with no responsibility over cases that have to deal with students or faculty.' 7 Pro-Palestine demonstrators wave the Palestinian flag and hold a banner outside of the office of the City University of New York. Jimin Kim/SOPA Images/Shutterstock Advertisement 'Let me remind you, CAIR was a co-conspirator in the terrorist financing case and has ties to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization,' Stefanik continued, adding, 'Is she currently still employed by CUNY?' 'She is,' Matos Rodríguez replied. 'So, no action, just words here today,' Stefanik said. Stefanik also asked Matos Rodríguez if he knew that law professor Ramzi Kassem, the head of CUNY Law School's legal clinic, Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility or CLEAR, was representing Mahmoud Khalil, the anti-Israel Columbia University protester who was detained by the Trump administration. Advertisement 'CUNY CLEAR. I'm not familiar with them,' Matos Rodríguez said. 7 Stefanik also asked Matos Rodríguez if he knew that law professor Ramzi Kassem, the head of CUNY Law School's legal clinic. AP 'This is the chief pro-Hamas agitator that led to the antisemitic encampments at Columbia, the rioting and violent takeover of Hamilton Hall, the harassment and physical assault of Jewish students,' Stefanik said of Khalil. 'You allow the head of the clinical legal organization and a professor to be the chief legal aid to Mahmoud Khalil and do his legal defense fund?' Matos Rodríguez responded, 'Those decisions are made in the clinics and are made in the individual campuses.' In another case, Stefanik asked about delays in removing a swastika from the main building of CUNY's Hunter College campus on Manhattan's Upper East Side in the fall of 2023. 7 Protestors gather outside Brooklyn College during a âCUNY Wide Student Walkout for Palestineâ on Thursday, November 9, 2023 in Brooklyn, N.Y. James Keivom She displayed a Nov. 13, 2023 email apparently by Hunter's Interim Vice President for Administration Gustavo Ordonez telling Leah Garrett, the school's chair of Jewish Studies: 'Apologies, but it's not that simple.' Advertisement Garrett has since filed a federal workplace discrimination suit against CUNY. CUNY typically removes hateful symbols right away but there was a delay in doing so in this case because officials 'were working with the New York City Police Department' on a potential hate crime case, Matos Rodríguez told the panel. In a joint press conference after the hearing with Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov in DC, Stefanik said Matos Rodríguez had to go, and claimed Hochul was part of the problem. 7 Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questions the panel of witnesses during a House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee hearing on 'Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology' on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Washington. @RepStefanik/X Advertisement 'The scourge of antisemitism has skyrocketed on her watch,' Stefanik said of Hochul. 'She needs to call on this chancellor to resign. She needs to fire him today.' Vernikov agreed, telling reporters: 'With one phone call, she can make sure the chancellor gets removed.' 'We need competent leadership. The chancellor is unwilling and unable to address antisemitism and protect his Jewish students,' she said. Advertisement 7 Protestors gather outside Brooklyn College during a CUNY Wide Student Walkout for Palestine on Thursday, November 9, 2023 in Brooklyn, N.Y. James Keivom Hochul created a task force headed by former New York state chief judge Jonathan Lippman that issued recommendations last year to weed out campus antisemitism at CUNY. Matos Rodríguez is likely not going anywhere. He has strong support among CUNY's trustees, appointed by the governor and mayor. Overall, he defended CUNY's performance in tamping down antisemitism and said officials have learned from past mistakes. Advertisement 'Antisemitism has no place at CUNY,' he testified. 7 Dr. Félix Matos Rodríguez, Chancellor, The City University of New York, testifies during a House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee hearing. AP 'And although our response has not always been perfect, our commitment to this important work has never wavered. Our commitment to the safety of the members of our Jewish community, and to our entire community, is non-negotiable.' He noted the $3 million in vandalism caused by anti-Israel protestors who created an encampment at CUNY's City College last year. 'We learned from that experience. We now have a zero-tolerance policy against encampments,' Matos Rodríguez said, adding CUNY hired more than 150 full-time security employees and contracted with an additional 250 security personnel. 'Our approach has shown results,' he said.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Republicans press leaders of Georgetown, Berkeley and CUNY on antisemitism complaints
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Tuesday grilled the leaders of Georgetown University, the City University of New York and the University of California, Berkeley in the latest hearing on antisemitism in higher education, accusing the schools of failing to respond adequately to allegations of bias or discrimination. In their appearance before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the three university leaders said that they had taken disciplinary action where appropriate and stressed the importance of protecting free speech. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons pushed back on the suggestion that antisemitism was more present on college campuses than anywhere else. 'If somebody is expressing pro-Palestinian beliefs, that's not necessarily antisemitic,' he said. The hearing was the ninth in a series Republicans have held to scrutinize university leadership over allegations of antisemitism on campuses after a wave of protests following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Widely criticized testimony before the committee by the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University in 2023 contributed to their resignations. At Tuesday's hearing, Democrats blasted Republican committee members for their focus on antisemitism while not speaking out on the dismantling of the Education Department , which is tasked with investigating antisemitism and other civil rights violations in schools. 'They have turned this hearing room into a kangaroo court, where they spend our time litigating a predetermined outcome to do nothing, actually, to help Jewish students, just make public theater out of legitimate pain,' Rep. Mark Takano , D-CA. Republicans said the university leaders have allowed campus antisemitism to run unchecked. 'Universities can choose to hire antisemitic faculty, welcome students with a history of antisemitism, accept certain foreign funding, and let the behavior of antisemitic unions go unchecked,' Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg , committee chair, said in his opening statements. 'But we will see today they do so at their own risk.' The hearing was periodically interrupted by protesters, who shouted pro-Palestinian slogans before being removed by Capitol police. Rep. Randy Fine, R-FL, berated the college presidents and said they were responsible because of the attitudes they had permitted on their campuses. Republicans pressed the three college leaders on whether they had disciplined or fired faculty and employees for behavior they said was antisemitic. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pressed CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez on the employment of a law professor who worked on the legal defense of Mahmoud Khalil , a Palestinian activist the Trump administration attempted to deport over his role in protests at Columbia University. Stefanik pushed Matos Rodríguez to answer whether the professor should be fired. Without responding directly, Matos Rodríguez defended CUNY and said antisemitism had no place at the school. He said any student or employee who broke CUNY rules would be investigated. University leaders also emphasized the importance of free speech on campuses for students and faculty. Interim Georgetown President Richard Groves said that as a Jesuit university, fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding was a key part of the school's mission. He said the university has not experienced any encampments or physical violence since the Hamas attack in October 2023. 'Given our Jesuit values, we expose students to different viewpoints on the Middle East,' Groves said. 'In addition to speakers on Gaza, we've hosted IDF soldiers, families of Israeli and Palestinians who've lost their lives. U.S. families of U.S. hostages in Gaza. Georgetown is not perfect, and as events evolve, we've had to clarify rules of student behavior.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Republicans press leaders of Georgetown, Berkeley and CUNY on antisemitism complaints
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Tuesday grilled the leaders of Georgetown University, the City University of New York and the University of California, Berkeley in the latest hearing on antisemitism in higher education, accusing the schools of failing to respond adequately to allegations of bias or discrimination. In their appearance before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the three university leaders said that they had taken disciplinary action where appropriate and stressed the importance of protecting free speech. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons pushed back on the suggestion that antisemitism was more present on college campuses than anywhere else. 'If somebody is expressing pro-Palestinian beliefs, that's not necessarily antisemitic,' he said. The hearing was the ninth in a series Republicans have held to scrutinize university leadership over allegations of antisemitism on campuses after a wave of protests following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Widely criticized testimony before the committee by the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University in 2023 contributed to their resignations. At Tuesday's hearing, Democrats blasted Republican committee members for their focus on antisemitism while not speaking out on the dismantling of the Education Department, which is tasked with investigating antisemitism and other civil rights violations in schools. 'They have turned this hearing room into a kangaroo court, where they spend our time litigating a predetermined outcome to do nothing, actually, to help Jewish students, just make public theater out of legitimate pain,' Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA. Republicans said the university leaders have allowed campus antisemitism to run unchecked. 'Universities can choose to hire antisemitic faculty, welcome students with a history of antisemitism, accept certain foreign funding, and let the behavior of antisemitic unions go unchecked," Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg, committee chair, said in his opening statements. "But we will see today they do so at their own risk.' The hearing was periodically interrupted by protesters, who shouted pro-Palestinian slogans before being removed by Capitol police. Rep. Randy Fine, R-FL, berated the college presidents and said they were responsible because of the attitudes they had permitted on their campuses. Republicans pressed the three college leaders on whether they had disciplined or fired faculty and employees for behavior they said was antisemitic. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pressed CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez on the employment of a law professor who worked on the legal defense of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist the Trump administration attempted to deport over his role in protests at Columbia University. Stefanik pushed Matos Rodríguez to answer whether the professor should be fired. Without responding directly, Matos Rodríguez defended CUNY and said antisemitism had no place at the school. He said any student or employee who broke CUNY rules would be investigated. University leaders also emphasized the importance of free speech on campuses for students and faculty. Interim Georgetown President Richard Groves said that as a Jesuit university, fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding was a key part of the school's mission. He said the university has not experienced any encampments or physical violence since the Hamas attack in October 2023. 'Given our Jesuit values, we expose students to different viewpoints on the Middle East," Groves said. "In addition to speakers on Gaza, we've hosted IDF soldiers, families of Israeli and Palestinians who've lost their lives. U.S. families of U.S. hostages in Gaza. Georgetown is not perfect, and as events evolve, we've had to clarify rules of student behavior.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Republicans press leaders of Georgetown, Berkeley and CUNY on antisemitism complaints
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Tuesday grilled the leaders of Georgetown University, the City University of New York and the University of California, Berkeley in the latest hearing on antisemitism in higher education, accusing the schools of failing to respond adequately to allegations of bias or discrimination. In their appearance before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the three university leaders said that they had taken disciplinary action where appropriate and stressed the importance of protecting free speech. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons pushed back on the suggestion that antisemitism was more present on college campuses than anywhere else. 'If somebody is expressing pro-Palestinian beliefs, that's not necessarily antisemitic,' he said. The hearing was the ninth in a series Republicans have held to scrutinize university leadership over allegations of antisemitism on campuses after a wave of protests following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Widely criticized testimony before the committee by the presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University in 2023 contributed to their resignations. At Tuesday's hearing, Democrats blasted Republican committee members for their focus on antisemitism while not speaking out on the dismantling of the Education Department, which is tasked with investigating antisemitism and other civil rights violations in schools. 'They have turned this hearing room into a kangaroo court, where they spend our time litigating a predetermined outcome to do nothing, actually, to help Jewish students, just make public theater out of legitimate pain,' Rep. Mark Takano, D-CA. Republicans said the university leaders have allowed campus antisemitism to run unchecked. 'Universities can choose to hire antisemitic faculty, welcome students with a history of antisemitism, accept certain foreign funding, and let the behavior of antisemitic unions go unchecked,' Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg, committee chair, said in his opening statements. 'But we will see today they do so at their own risk.' The hearing was periodically interrupted by protesters, who shouted pro-Palestinian slogans before being removed by Capitol police. Rep. Randy Fine, R-FL, berated the college presidents and said they were responsible because of the attitudes they had permitted on their campuses. Republicans pressed the three college leaders on whether they had disciplined or fired faculty and employees for behavior they said was antisemitic. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., pressed CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez on the employment of a law professor who worked on the legal defense of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist the Trump administration attempted to deport over his role in protests at Columbia University. Stefanik pushed Matos Rodríguez to answer whether the professor should be fired. Without responding directly, Matos Rodríguez defended CUNY and said antisemitism had no place at the school. He said any student or employee who broke CUNY rules would be investigated. University leaders also emphasized the importance of free speech on campuses for students and faculty. Interim Georgetown President Richard Groves said that as a Jesuit university, fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding was a key part of the school's mission. He said the university has not experienced any encampments or physical violence since the Hamas attack in October 2023. 'Given our Jesuit values, we expose students to different viewpoints on the Middle East,' Groves said. 'In addition to speakers on Gaza, we've hosted IDF soldiers, families of Israeli and Palestinians who've lost their lives. U.S. families of U.S. hostages in Gaza. Georgetown is not perfect, and as events evolve, we've had to clarify rules of student behavior.' ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
