Landmark legislation to protect students against discrimination and bolster campus safety, sponsored by Assemblymember Nily Rozic and State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The bill requires Title VI anti-discrimination coordinators on every New York college campus. Coordinators will work hand-in-hand with students, faculty, and staff to confront discrimination on campus as part of the Governor’s longstanding commitment to promote a safe learning environment for all students in New York’s higher education institutions.
“By placing Title VI coordinators on all college campuses, New York is combating antisemitism and all forms of discrimination head-on,” Hochul said during a signing ceremony. “No one should fear for their safety while trying to get an education.”
The New York State Division of Human Rights will develop training to ensure colleges and universities have the tools they need to uphold the protections of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.
“At a time when we see a troubling rise in hate crimes, New York is taking a clear stand,” Stavisky said. “Too many students experiencing discrimination do not know where to go for help or what protections they are entitled to, and everyone has a right to feel safe when they step onto college campuses. Dignity, safety and equal opportunity are not negotiable.”
Rozic thanks the Governor for prioritizing the issue. Hochul’s support helped to shape the first-in-the-nation law.
“With incidents of discrimination and antisemitism on the rise, our students deserve campuses that are safe, inclusive, and accountable,” Rozic said. “Here, New York is leading in protecting the rights and safety of every student just in time for the start of the school year.”
The Governor’s Title VI legislation is the latest in a string of actions she’s taken to foster an inclusive learning environment on campus. In 2023, she established the New York Anti-Hate in Education Center to study, address, and eradicate all forms of campus discrimination. She also directed the state to bolster its hate crime data collection process, made record investments in physical security at vulnerable sites, established a domestic terrorism prevention unit, and conducted a thorough review of state-funded universities’ policies related to discrimination.
“CUNY remains committed to maintaining an educational environment where all students feel protected and respected,” CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said. “As part of this commitment, we have invested over $2 million to educate our community and combat hate and antisemitism, including making Title VI training mandatory across the system.”
American Jewish Committee New York Director Josh Kramer called the new law a powerful step toward making New York campuses places where all students can learn without fear.
“New York, with the largest Jewish community in the country, is leading by example in protecting students from antisemitism and other forms of discrimination,” Kramer said. “Governor Hochul’s signature makes clear that Jewish students’ concerns cannot be brushed aside. Requiring every campus to have a trained Title VI coordinator creates real accountability and ensures that colleges take swift, serious action.”
