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New York governor Kathy Hochul met Monday afternoon with the leaders of more than 200 colleges and universities in the state to discuss emergency preparations for potential protests as students return for the fall semester, according to a statement from the governor’s office.
“Public safety is my top priority, and as classes resume, it is essential that all students feel safe and are free from harm,” Hochul said in the statement. “Last spring, I directed college campuses to review and update their emergency response plans, and as tensions may be high as we start the academic year, I will continue to ensure all campus leaders and public safety officials have the resources they need to keep students safe.”
The meeting, which included leaders from both public and private universities, comes after a tumultuous spring semester marked by pro-Palestinian protest encampments that began at Columbia University in April and spread to campuses across the U.S.
Demonstrators at Columbia also occupied a campus building, prompting a police raid and dozens of arrests. Embattled Columbia president Minouche Shafik, who faced a barrage of criticism from all sides over her handling of campus protests, stepped down earlier this month. Columbia was one of multiple campuses in New York to see arrests related to protests.
Hochul’s meeting with college leaders comes as colleges are preparing for more protests in the fall; the war between Israel and Hamas is approaching the one-year mark and has racked up tens of thousands of civilian casualties, prompting sweeping criticism of Israel’s use of deadly force.
