Council Probes Campus Sexual Misconduct Response
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin has asked leaders of 10 colleges and universities to testify at a December hearing.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Sex Crimes
City Council Speaker Julie Menin called on leaders of 10 colleges and universities to testify at a December 15 hearing at City Hall on campus sexual misconduct. State data showed the institutions recorded 1,100 sexual misconduct reports in 2024 but only six expulsions.
Why it matters
Menin cited recent cases at Cornell University and the Fashion Institute of Technology as reasons for the oversight hearing. The data raises questions about how schools investigate allegations and discipline students found responsible.
Institutions recorded six expulsions and 10 suspensions in 2024, with 30 respondents found responsible through institutional procedures. Formal discipline was sought in about 12% of the 1,100 reports, leaving 971 incidents without a formal process.
The players
Julie Menin
Speaker of the New York City Council, who called on the 10 institutions to testify at the December hearing.
Cornell University
Private Ivy League research university in Ithaca, New York, facing a civil lawsuit alleging a former student was drugged and raped by a group of students.
Fashion Institute of Technology
Public college of the State University of New York specializing in fashion and design, located in Manhattan, where a fentanyl incident led to a student's death.
The details
The hearing will examine how colleges investigate misconduct allegations, discipline students found responsible, and oversee fraternities and campus organizations. Participation by university leaders is voluntary, and the Council could consider new measures based on what lawmakers learn.
Timeline
October 2024: Alleged drugging and rape occurred at Cornell University.
March 2025: Fentanyl incident inside a Manhattan dormitory at FIT occurred.
March 21: A FIT student died after fentanyl exposure.
September 2025: A civil lawsuit was filed against Cornell University.
December 15: Council oversight hearing scheduled at City Hall.
Legal Context
The state data was reported under New York's Enough Is Enough law, which requires institutions to publish campus sexual misconduct statistics. The gap between 1,100 reports and six expulsions raises questions about whether that reporting framework leads to meaningful discipline.
Students at the 10 institutions could see changes in how reports are investigated and how fraternities and campus organizations are overseen. Families choosing colleges may find the state's disciplinary figures useful when comparing schools.
The takeaway
Reports of misconduct far outnumber formal discipline at the 10 institutions, so students and families should ask schools how complaints are handled. The December hearing will show whether oversight leads to changes in that process.
What happens next
The Council oversight hearing on campus sexual misconduct is scheduled for December 15 at City Hall, where leaders of 10 institutions have been asked to testify.
Further reading
Explore more reporting in the Sex Crimes section for context on how these cases are prosecuted and reported.
