As students return to college campuses for the fall semester, schools are working to ensure a safe environment for all students.

City University of New York schools kicked off the semester on Wednesday, and campuses are already on high alert following a spring semester marked by intense pro-Palestinian protests. The demonstrations sometimes led to arrests, vandalism and accusations of antisemitism.

In response to these challenges, Gov. Kathy Hochul recently held a call with college leaders statewide, urging them to implement “Emergency Safety Plans” to ensure a safe learning environment for students.

Among the participants was CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez, who appeared on “Mornings On 1” Thursday to discuss preparations for the new academic year.

“We want people to be able to express their ideas and their views, because it’s what democracy is all about, it’s what university life is all about. But people have to do it respectfully and knowing the boundaries between what's acceptable and what's not,” Rodríguez said.

When asked about balancing free speech with maintaining campus safety, Rodríguez said they are working with students to ensure college campuses can be a place for constructive conversations.

“We want to be proactive. The more that we invest in having people learn to disagree in an agreeable way, the less chances for hate, for things out about occurring during a rally. So we're investing a lot in working with our students and our faculty in conflict resolution and having difficult conversations, hoping that when you voice your opinions, you do it in a way that is constructive moving forward,” he said.

Rodríguez also highlighted the importance of partnerships with local authorities, noting that the NYPD will be available to monitor all large-scale campus events.

“We have a great partnership in the city, with NYPD and some of the other local authorities to ensure that when we have the events that they can be safe, that they won’t disrupt the work that we're doing in the university,” he said.

Regarding the addition of private security officers on campus, Rodríguez said that he and CUNY staff are focused on ensuring all students feel safe while attending school.

“We just want to be ready for any situation that arises,” Rodríguez said. “For the most part, last year, we had hundreds of rallies that were conducted peacefully. We’ve also been working with students at the beginning of the year to inform them about the guidelines and rules.”