CUNY modifies Hunter College ‘Palestinian Studies’ job listing after Gov. Hochul ordered it removed

The City University of New York has quietly re-posted a Palestinian studies professorship job listing for Hunter College — just weeks after Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered it be deleted amid concerns it demonized Israel and would spark antisemitic backlash.

Hochul demanded the taxpayer-funded Manhattan college remove the controversial posting last month after The Post revealed CUNY had started advertising for a scholar who was concerned with “settler colonialism, genocide human rights [and] apartheid.” 

Now, a revised job posting has since appeared on the Upper East Side institution’s website — with key tweaks.

The City University of New York has quietly re-posted a Palestinian studies professorship job listing for Hunter College — absent of the phrases settler colonialism, genocide human rights [and] apartheid.”  CUNY

“We are open to diverse theoretical and methodological approaches and seek historically grounded candidates who take a critical lens to issues pertaining to Palestine, who are interested in public-facing work, and who exhibit a commitment to being part of the life of the college, a diverse and dynamic public and majority-minority undergraduate serving institution,” the new job ad states.

It is a slight shift from the original ad, which called for “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.”

The governor quickly intervened after the original post sparked backlash after critics and Jewish watchdog groups argued it promotes hateful instruction at the Big Apple’s public university.

“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,” a Hochul spokesperson told The Post last month.

Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the original job ad be deleted last month amid concerns it demonized Israel and would spark antisemitic backlash. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

“The Governor has continued to strongly condemn all forms of antisemitism and has made clear that hateful rhetoric of any kind has no place at CUNY or anywhere in New York State.”

CUNY officials, at the time, said they “strongly agreed” with Hochul’s call.

“We find this language divisive, polarizing and inappropriate and strongly agree with Governor Hochul’s direction to remove this posting, which we have ensured Hunter College has since done,” Chancellor Felix Matos and Board of Trustees Chairperson William Thompson said in a joint statement.

Hochul demanded the taxpayer-funded Manhattan college remove the controversial posting last month after The Post revealed CUNY’s Hunter College had started advertising for the position. Ajay Suresh via Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons

“CUNY will continue working with the Governor and other stakeholders to tackle antisemitism on our campuses and combat hate in all of its forms.”

The Post reached out to Hunter College in the wake of the new listing but didn’t hear back immediately.

Related Posts


This will close in 0 seconds