Jewish students nationwide have endured a troubling rise in harassment and intimidation on college campuses, particularly after the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel. For many families in Queens, the question of whether their children can feel safe in institutions of higher learning has become pressing and personal.
This week, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law groundbreaking legislation spearheaded by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D–25th District, Fresh Meadows) and New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D–16th District, Eastern Queens). The measure—the first of its kind in the nation—requires every New York college and university to appoint a Title VI Coordinator, creating a dedicated point of accountability for enforcing civil rights protections and ensuring students can learn in an environment free of discrimination.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding. Federal guidance confirms that Jewish identity—whether through religion, ethnicity, or shared ancestry—is protected under this law. Yet Jewish students have too often lacked clear avenues for recourse. A 2024 American Jewish Committee survey found that more than one-third of Jewish students experienced antisemitism on campus in the past year.
This challenge has become a national crisis, with the U.S. Department of Education opening Title VI investigations at institutions such as Columbia, Harvard, and Penn. By moving decisively now, New York is positioning itself at the forefront of the fight against antisemitism and campus discrimination.
The new law requires each institution to designate a Title VI Coordinator within 90 days. Coordinators will be trained by the New York State Division of Human Rights and tasked with overseeing compliance, investigating complaints, maintaining records, and ensuring reporting procedures are clear and accessible. They must also notify all students and employees annually about their rights under Title VI, complaint processes, and how to contact the coordinator directly.
The law “gives students a clear point of contact when violations occur and ensures institutions have structured accountability,” according to Senator Stavisky, chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee.
The legislation passed with bipartisan support and earned endorsements from a wide coalition of Jewish and civil rights organizations, including the AJC, ADL, UJA-Federation of New York, StandWithUs, Jewish on Campus, the NAACP, and the New York Urban League.
Public universities are already preparing to comply. CUNY, which includes Queens College and the CUNY Law School in Long Island City, has allocated more than $2 million to anti-hate education and expanded Title VI training across its 25 campuses. SUNY, which oversees York College and LaGuardia Community College, already mandates training for faculty and staff and will extend it to student organization leaders beginning in the 2025–26 academic year.
Local Jewish leaders welcomed the legislation, noting that many Queens families have grown increasingly anxious about sending children to campuses where antisemitism has flared. With two Queens lawmakers leading this effort, the community sees the measure as both reassurance and accountability.
As the law takes effect, families in Queens should expect their local campuses to identify and publicize their new Title VI Coordinators. Parents and students are encouraged to learn who that person is and how to reach them. The coordinator’s office will now serve as a safeguard, ensuring that complaints are taken seriously and protections are enforced.
With this step, New York becomes the first state in the nation to require Title VI Coordinators on every campus. For Jewish students, this law delivers real accountability, strengthens civil rights protections, and affirms that antisemitism has no place in higher education.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
