CUNY has called for the immediate resignation of Arthur Cheriotes, the chair of the School of Labor and Urban Studies, following his dissemination of what they describe as an “anti-Semitic conspiracy theory” regarding Israel.
Cheriotes, 76, shared claims that Israel was either complicit in or welcomed the recent Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
He went further by posting a comparison between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler. The New York City public university system issued a statement, on behalf of Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez, emphasizing, “CUNY has zero tolerance for all forms of hatred.”
The statement continued, condemning the “outrageous comments” made by Cheriotes, who leads three independent organizations that operate separately from CUNY’s administration. It highlighted the danger posed by his remarks as “a dangerous anti-Semitic plot that has no place at CUNY or anywhere else.”
They added, “He needs to resign soon.”
With 39 years of experience in communication work, Cheriotes has been instrumental in establishing CUNY’s labor school focused on social justice. Notably, his current role is voluntary.
However, the situation has put CUNY at risk, especially as the Trump administration previously faced criticism for not addressing issues in elite institutions like Columbia and Harvard. Sources indicate that Cheriotes’ actions could invite scrutiny from the public.
The backlash surrounding his statements has even entered local political debates, with mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo stating that Cheriotes must go. He said, “Arthur Cheriotes should not remain at CUNY given his anti-Semitic conspiracy. He should either resign or be removed immediately.”
Cuomo further urged current CWA 1180 President Gloria Middleton to publicly denounce this hate speech.
Cheriotes has not yet responded to requests for comments.
This story is developing, and more details may follow.
