Two professors at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine are at the center of a growing controversy over academic freedom, due process, and racial profiling.
Represented by Kent Hirozawa of Gladstein, Reif & Meginniss LLP, the professors—both of Chinese descent—were suspended by the university amid allegations of failing to disclose research collaborations and funding connected to China. Despite no formal findings of misconduct, NYU swiftly cut their salaries, banned them from campus, revoked access to university systems, and prohibited them from speaking with colleagues.Hirozawa has challenged the university’s actions.
The case comes amid heightened scrutiny of Chinese and Chinese American scientists across the U.S., where federal investigations and institutional crackdowns—often under the banner of national security—have disproportionately targeted researchers of Asian descent. Critics warn that this trend risks fueling anti-Asian sentiment, stifling international collaboration, and undermining the U.S.’s role as a global leader in science and innovation.
The NYU professors’ case underscores the growing need for legal safeguards to ensure that universities uphold academic freedom and resist the politicization of research oversight. As the professors await the outcome of their case, advocates are watching closely, seeing it as a bellwether for how institutions respond to both national security concerns and civil liberties in an era of rising xenophobia.