NYC Gazette

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez testified before the New York City Council’s Committee on Higher Education, addressing the university's response to the Lippman report and its ongoing efforts to combat hate and antisemitism. During his testimony, he emphasized CUNY's commitment to maintaining a discrimination-free environment for its 25 campuses, serving 240,000 students and 40,000 employees.

Chancellor Matos Rodríguez highlighted several initiatives undertaken by CUNY in recent years. He acknowledged the support of the City Council in awarding grants that expanded the Center for Ethnic, Religious and Racial Understanding (CERRU) at Queens College to a University-wide level. Additionally, CUNY has invested significantly in campus programs aimed at combating hate.

In collaboration with Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative, CUNY leaders have worked on ensuring a safe environment for Jewish students. The creation of an Advisory Council on Jewish Life was also mentioned as part of efforts to improve communication among different religious groups on campus.

The Chancellor outlined several actions taken this year in line with recommendations from the Lippman report. These include establishing the Center for Inclusive Excellence and Belonging (CIEB) to centralize anti-discrimination efforts across all campuses and deploying additional safety officers to enhance security measures.

Matos Rodríguez noted progress made under a voluntary resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which includes launching system-wide campus climate surveys and creating Title VI resources.

Concluding his testimony, Matos Rodríguez expressed optimism about CUNY's future and reiterated its mission of providing inclusive education to all New Yorkers.