More on Tony Kushner – CUNY Board of Trustees!

Dear Commons Community,

The CUNY Board of Trustees released a statement yesterday saying:  “that their action on Monday should not be interpreted as reflecting on Mr. Kushner’s accomplishments.”  This did little to quell the backlash and criticism of its decision to table an honorary degree for the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.   (See my earlier post on this topic)

The NY Times is reporting that:

“former Mayor Ed Koch, an outspoken supporter of Israel who is receiving an honorary degree from CUNY, called on Thursday for the board to grant Mr. Kushner the degree and for Mr. Wiesenfeld to resign, saying he had abused his power.

Ellen Schrecker, a history professor at Yeshiva University who received an honorary degree from CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2008, said she planned to return it in solidarity with Mr. Kushner.

Karen Kaplowitz, the head of the faculty committee at John Jay that had nominated Mr. Kushner, said she was mortified that he had been treated with disrespect.”

The CUNY Board will surely be rethinking what they did on Monday and minimally an apology to Mr. Kushner is in order.

Tony

 

 

3 comments

  1. I think that Mr. Wiesenfeld’s comments re Mr. Kushner reflect a sectarian bigotry that should not be tolerated in CUNY Trustees and that Mr. Wiesenfeld should resign from his position.