Immediate Reinstatement of Fourth CUNY Terminated Adjunct Faculty Member and Defense of Academic Freedom

In the spring of 2025, in the context of far right attacks by the Trump administration on universities, academic freedom, and Palestine solidarity activists, three Brooklyn College faculty members were non-reappointed for the fall semester from multiple campuses. The non-reappointments overturned the decisions of departmental appointments committees, yet the college administrations provided no reason for separating the instructors from employment. One additional faculty members was fired for “conduct unbecoming,” a term used during the McCarthyite witchhunts to fire and blacklist leftist faculty. What these four faculty members have in common is their status as adjuncts and their activism for Palestine and in our union.

In mid-January 2026, three of the CUNY Fired Four were notified they could be reinstated at Brooklyn College with no explanation from the administration. We celebrate this victory for organizing and contract enforcement and thank all who have supported the campaign. But we will keep fighting until all four are reinstated.

The fourth faculty member, whose eligibility to teach has not yet been restored, has been put on the “do not rehire” list for every single CUNY campus, despite stellar observations and student evaluations. She has lost her health insurance and her ability to work at CUNY, where she had been employed for 9 years. The PSC has argued that this improper firing constitutes discrimination based on political belief and union activity.

We are heartened by the reinstatement of three of the fired four, but our struggle is not finished until the fourth is reinstated.

Despite this significant victory, profound damage was done by the university's actions, not only discrediting the targeted faculty and undermining their integrity, but also creating a climate of anxiety that has eroded academic freedom. These firings, along with the repression of students who advocate for Palestinian rights through suspensions and other punitive mechanisms, are emblematic of the Trump administration's broad, unrelenting assault on universities and civil rights. Sign the letter on this page to continue the struggle to reinstate the fourth of the fired four and fight back against McCarthyite repression and to defend our academic freedom at CUNY!