April 7 AAUP EC to Dean Rafael Rodriguez

Dean Rodriguez,

We write to express our concern about administrative communications to student and faculty groups regarding their instagram invitation to an “anti-Zionist” seder gathering, which suggests that participants “boycott Hillel” and join the alternative seder instead. The invitation and RSVP explicitly state that “all students, faculty, and staff are welcome.” (For context: Hillel is a national campus organization with a stated political commitment to the support of Israel as a Jewish state and an explicit policy of excluding from events those who openly critique that position.)

In response to the seder invitation post, administrators issued various communications to students and faculty, warning and threatening censure and university investigations. We believe the university’s attempt to silence political speech and stifle religious gathering violates academic freedom and the right to free speech. Further, the university’s interference with plans for a Jewish anti-Zionist seder is a violation of religious freedom as well as potentially discriminatory on shared ancestry grounds, insofar as it is motivated by stereotypes that Jews should or do have allegiance to Zionism/Israel . The administration’s actions therefore run afoul of both NYU bylaws and constitutional protections regarding freedom of expression and non-sectarian anti-discrimination. The University’s “Non-discrimination and Harassment Policy” explicitly notes that it “should be read and understood in conjunction with related University policies and procedures, including, for example, the University’s policies and procedures related to academic freedom, demonstration, and protest.”

We are aware that the University has threatened Title VI investigations and want to underscore that we are especially concerned with the weaponization of Title VI in actions that may themselves be discriminatory and unconstitutional.

We ask you to reconsider this action.

AAUP-NYU Executive Committee