Photo courtesy: New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO,

Leaders of the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) spoke out Monday to defend free expression and academic freedom on college campuses and oppose the partisan assault on American Universities. The “Hands Off Higher Ed! Hands Off CUNY! Speak Out at NYC Hall” event took place a day before administrators from CUNY, UC Berkeley, and Georgetown were called to testify before the House Education and Workforce Committee.

The hearing was the latest in a series that have purported to be about combating antisemitism. In reality, they are part of a broad, systematic attack on higher education that seeks to undermine freedom of speech, discipline and defund universities, reverse years of social progress, and suppress research and teaching that doesn’t comport with the MAGA agenda.

“This hearing is another cynical attempt to use real anxiety about rising antisemitism to ambush university leaders, smear faculty, slash funding, and delegitimize institutions that are essential for a working democracy,” said PSC President James Davis. At the event, Davis was flanked by faculty and staff from his union and NYC elected officials including NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and State Senator Jabari Brisport, Assembly Members Harvey Epstein and Jessica González-Rojas, and NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler, who gathered to defend CUNY’s diverse academic community. Read more from PSC/CUNY here and here.

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