NYC Council Seeks University Testimony on Campus Sexual Misconduct
Menin is asking leaders from Yeshiva University, Mercy University, The New School, Touro, Pace, St. John’s, Fordham, CUNY, NYU and Columbia to appear before the Council’s Committee on Higher Education. The invitations are voluntary. Students, survivors and advocates are also expected to be invited to testify.
The hearing will examine how institutions investigate allegations, discipline students found responsible, oversee fraternities and other campus groups, support survivors and work with law enforcement. It will also consider how colleges carry out New York’s 2015 Enough Is Enough law. Council officials said no legislation is planned before the hearing, though lawmakers may consider measures afterward.
State data shows the 10 institutions recorded 1,100 reports of sexual misconduct in 2024. Six resulted in expulsions and 10 in suspensions. A formal disciplinary process was sought in 129 cases; 30 respondents were found responsible through those procedures. The data covers allegations including sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking, and does not explain why individual cases did not proceed formally.
Menin cited cases at Cornell and the Fashion Institute of Technology as reasons for the inquiry. A former Cornell student sued in September over an alleged 2024 assault and the university’s response; the case prompted a state criminal investigation. At FIT, a man has been charged in connection with allegations that he gave fentanyl to two students in a dormitory and raped one. One student died. Neither school’s leader was invited. FIT was excluded because its SUNY affiliation limits the Council’s oversight jurisdiction. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. December 15 at City Hall.
Low Campus Sanctions Put University Accountability in Focus
The Council is pressing university leaders to explain how they protect students and hold institutions accountable as state figures show a stark gap between reports of campus sexual misconduct and the most serious sanctions. Across 10 schools, 1,100 incidents were reported in 2024, while six ended in expulsion and 10 in suspension.
Menin’s hearing will scrutinize investigations, fraternity oversight, survivor support and enforcement of New York’s Enough Is Enough law. Students, survivors and advocates are also expected to have a voice. That public examination matters when just 129 cases prompted a formal disciplinary proceeding and 30 respondents were found responsible through those procedures. The data does not establish why individual cases did not proceed, but it makes questions about institutional responses unavoidable.
Recent allegations at Cornell and FIT have intensified the scrutiny. A former Cornell student’s lawsuit alleges an assault and inadequate university discipline; the case has led to a state criminal investigation. At FIT, a man faces charges tied to allegations that he gave fentanyl to two students and raped one, who later died. Neither school’s leader was invited, and FIT was excluded because of its SUNY affiliation.
The invitations to 10 other institutions are voluntary, and the Council has no legislation planned before the hearing. But lawmakers may consider measures based on what they learn. The hearing is scheduled for December 15 at City Hall, where university leaders will face questions about protections students need and the consequences when systems fall short.
Council Hearing Must Separate Allegations From Proven Misconduct
A City Council hearing on campus sexual misconduct should examine institutional procedures without treating every report as proof of wrongdoing. State data shows 1,100 reports across 10 schools in 2024, but a report is not the same as a finding: formal disciplinary proceedings were sought in 129 cases, and respondents were found responsible in 30 of those proceedings.
The Council plans to ask university leaders about investigations, discipline, fraternity oversight, survivor support and enforcement of the state’s Enough Is Enough law. Those are consequential questions, and the process must protect students while distinguishing allegations from established responsibility. The data also includes cases that could not proceed for reasons such as a lack of institutional jurisdiction, though it does not identify why each case stopped.
Menin pointed to high-profile cases at Cornell and FIT. A former Cornell student has sued over an alleged assault and the university’s response, and state authorities are investigating. At FIT, a man has been charged in a case involving allegations that fentanyl was given to two students and one was raped; she later died. The allegations and charges are serious, but they should not replace careful fact-finding.
The 10 schools’ invitations are voluntary, and officials say lawmakers have no legislation in the works prior to the hearing. Lawmakers may consider measures afterward. That makes it especially important for the December 15 session to focus on evidence, fair procedures and the actual scope of the Council’s authority. FIT was left off the list because its SUNY affiliation limits that oversight jurisdiction.
Reported by amNY, New York Post, ABC7 New York.
