Stefanik slams CUNY chancellor over anti-Semitism, calls leadership a ‘disgrace’
Rep. Elise Stefanik recently criticized City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Felix Matos Rodríguez during his testimony before the House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee.
'You have failed the people of New York. You have failed Jewish students in New York State, and it is a disgrace,' Stefanik said during Rodriguez’s July 15 testimony.
Rep. Elise Stefanik recently criticized City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez during his testimony before the House Committee on Education and Workforce Committee.
“You have failed the people of New York. You have failed Jewish students in New York State, and it is a disgrace,” Stefanik said during Rodriguez’s July 15 testimony.
WATCH: 🚨 I expose Dr. Félix Matos Rodríguez (@ChancellorCUNY) for failing to protect Jewish students and faculty from the alarming rise of antisemitism on campus. pic.twitter.com/be1BAxpk1L
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) July 15, 2025
At one point, Stefanik highlighted an incident at Hunter College where Jewish students were forced to walk under a swastika. Rodriguez admitted there was a delay in removing the symbol due to NYPD involvement, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
When asked if the administrator who said removal was “not that simple” was disciplined, Rodriguez said investigations were ongoing but did not confirm action.
Stefanik also criticized CUNY for employing a chief diversity officer who had previously worked for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), to which Rodriguez said he wasn’t directly responsible for that hire and that the officer remains employed.
Finally, Stefanik questioned Rodriguez about CUNY CLEAR, whose founder is on Mahmoud Khalil’s legal team. Stefanik charged that CUNY takes “no action,” predicting no one will face discipline and accusing Rodríguez of offering “all words, no action.”
Stefanik claimed in a post-hearing press conference with Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul should remove Chancellor Rodriguez.
“The scourge of antisemitism has skyrocketed on [Hochul’s] watch,” Stefanik said, according to The New York Post. “She needs to call on this chancellor to resign. She needs to fire him today.”
“With one phone call, she can make sure the chancellor gets removed,” Vernikov added. “We need competent leadership. The chancellor is unwilling and unable to address antisemitism and protect his Jewish students.”
This is not the first time that legislators have called for reform at CUNY. In May, New York City politicians sent an open letter to the CUNY chancellor calling for the school to improve its anti-Semitism response.
“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 lawmakers wrote.
Later, in June, an official connected to CUNY resigned after allegations surfaced that he made anti-Semitic statements, such as calling the Oct. 7 attacks a “pretext” for Israel to attack Hamas.
The official, Arthur Cheliotes, also reposted a graphic about the Oct. 7 attacks, contending that Israel had given Hamas $200 million prior to the massacre and removed troops from the border with Gaza.
Campus Reform has contacted City University of New York for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
