Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed a former New York appeals court judge to investigate allegations of antisemitism and discrimination at CUNY, the City University of New York, which, in recent years, has come under fire from Jewish students and staffers alike.

It comes as colleges nationwide are dealing with a significant uptick in antisemitism in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel, and just days after online threats were made against Jewish students at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and Jewish students at Cooper Union in New York were locked in the library while pro-Palestinian posters banged on the doors and shouted “Free Palestine.”

“The problem didn’t begin with the weeks following the October 7 attacks. It’s been growing on a number of campuses and seen most acutely in the City University of New York,” said Hochul. “At my request, Judge Jonathan Lippman, former chief judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, has agreed to conduct an independent, third-party review of CUNY’s policies and procedures related to antisemitism and discrimination.”

Agudath Israel of America praised Hochul’s announcement.

“Ugly, sometimes systemic, antisemitism and discrimination has long been a blight at several CUNY schools, an issue festering to a frightening degree of late in numerous colleges,” said Avrohom Weinstock, Agudah’s chief of staff. “It was heartening to see Gov. Hochul’s announcement ordering a third-party review of CUNY policies related to antisemitism; we sincerely hope that such efforts go beyond recommendations and elicit real change at CUNY.”

The UJA-Federation of New York also praised Hochul’s move. “We are deeply concerned by the uptick of antisemitism on college campuses and around New York State since the Oct. 7 attack. Thank you, Gov. Hochul for committing to these strong actions against hate and antisemitism,” they posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Traditionally home for Jewish students and staffers, in more recent years CUNY schools have been a hotbed of BDS support, anti-Israel activism and antisemitism. It has only continued since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, as some faculty refuse to even call it a terror attack referring to it as a “military action,” while the student government of CUNY School of Law issued a statement on on Oct. 18 that said in part, “The recent events in Palestine are not spontaneous. … This is a reaction to Israeli aggression which starves, kills, and displaces Palestinians from their homes and lands.”

As part of his investigation, Lippman is expected to look at the overall environment on CUNY campuses and make an assessment of the attitudes and perspectives of antisemitism; examine current policies and procedures for investigating complaints of antisemitism; and considering how freedom of speech is weighed versus the rights of students to receive an education without threats and intimidation.

In a statement, Lippman said, “As a judge and lawyer, my focus has always been first and foremost on fairness and equal justice. That same sense of fairness, and freedom from intimidation, for Jewish students and all others in CUNY’s academic community, will be at the center of my review. Antisemitism and discrimination in all its forms are unacceptable and I am honored that the governor has asked me to carry out this important task.”

While Lippman’s focus is on CUNY, Hochul said she hopes his recommendations and report will be a “roadmap for institutions across the state and the country.”

It could not come at a more opportune time as antisemitism on college campuses is soaring after the Oct. 7 attack.

According to the Secure Community Network, the security arm of the Jewish community, since the Hamas attack there have been more than 100 incidents of antisemitism—such as intimidation, vandalism, harassment, and assault—on college campuses and 300 pro-Palestinian rallies, vigils and protests that have the potential to be flashpoints for violence as was the case last week at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Speaking on the situation on college campuses overall, SCN National Director and CEO Michael Masters, said in an interview Tuesday, “I am very concerned about Jewish students on campus as we all should be.”

“If we have one student who is afraid to wear a kippah, to have a mezuzah in their dorm room, to wear a Jewish star or to go into a Hillel, Chabad [House] or other center of Jewish life is one too many,” he said. “And we have lots of students who are feeling that way.”