A Cornell University student, who earlier attracted widespread criticism after refusing an interview at a New York City startup because he did not want to “work for a Jew,” has announced plans to return to the prestigious Ivy League campus this fall.
Austin Franco, a 19-year-old set to become a junior, had originally sent the controversial message to VrfID’s Jewish co-founders, Gabe and Aiden Einhorn, through the job board site Handshake in June. In a conversation with Accuracy in Media, a conservative nonprofit, Franco claimed he received little more than a proverbial “slap on the wrist” from Cornell in response to the incident.
“As it stands, the university hasn’t taken any action on their end,” Franco reportedly told an investigator from the organization, who had approached him under the guise of shared antisemitic beliefs. “I think it’s because I didn’t say anything that could be directly deemed hateful,” he added, seemingly unaware of the investigator’s true motives.
While Franco confirmed that the university had reached out following the uproar, he stated that no formal disciplinary measures have been enforced against him thus far.
A Cornell spokesperson, when contacted, directed inquiries to an earlier statement released by the school and opted not to address Franco’s assertion regarding his return to the campus.
“This incident has been referred to the Cornell Office of Civil Rights for investigation under university policy,” the Cornell spokeswoman said.
“Cornell condemns antisemitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination in the strongest possible terms. The university is steadfastly committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for every member of our community.”
Cornell’s lackluster response has sparked outrage among Jewish students and leaders.
Rabbi Marc Schneier, founding senior rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue and president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, told The Post this reflects how alarmingly “normalized” antisemitism has become.
“Cornell is a place of learning, and yet a student can openly declare that he will not work for a Jew, impose his own private boycott and still sit in its classrooms,” Schneier said.
“I refuse to believe that any other form of bigotry, racial or religious, would be treated with such tolerance.”
Davian Gekman, a Cornell student graduating in 2027, described Franco as “the worst of the worst.”
“Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. If the school administration is unable to do anything, then it is the bodies’ responsibility to do so,” he said.
In the clip posted Wednesday to X by Accuracy in Media, Franco admitted that his hateful way of declining the interview wasn’t “the smartest thing to say.”
“But the reaction was like, overwhelming. Not equal to what I said,” he said.
“I mean, I thought I was being nice. Saying this is why I don’t want to work for you.”
He also confirmed that he’s raked in about $25,000 in donations from his twisted supporters.
Franco, who hails from Virginia, described antisemitism as “very widespread among the younger generation” as he blamed The Chosen People for his employment struggles.
“That’s the problem I’m having. I’m going to Cornell. I’m applying for all these jobs. The only thing I’m getting is unpaid internships working for Jews. Yeah, pretty much only Jews actually,” he said.
“The company I was working at prior was also run by a Jew. Yeah, that’s why I got fired.”
Franco used to work at the kosher station at Cornell’s dining hall, according to students familiar with the situation.
Franco wrote on X that he met with Accuracy in Media because they claimed to be a group that wanted to offer him financial support and post-grad job opportunities.
“It’s sad that they were being disingenuous,” he whined.
Franco did not immediately return a request for comment.