City Council Speaker Julie Menin is urging the presidents of 10 leading colleges and universities to testify about how they have handled sexual assault on campus following the “Cornell 7” fraternity gang rape scandal.
Menin sent letters Tuesday to the leaders of several New York City higher education institutions, including New York University, Columbia University, Fordham University and the City University of New York. She asked them to appear at a Dec. 15 hearing held by the Council’s Committee on Higher Education.
“With approximately 500,000 students enrolled in over 100 colleges and universities across the five boroughs, New York City is one of the world’s great centers of higher education,” Menin wrote in a letter to Columbia President Jennifer Mnookin.
“Yet campuses in New York City and across the country continue to be plagued with incidents of rape, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and online abuse.”
Menin wants the university presidents to testify under oath about the steps they have taken to protect students from sexual assault and misconduct linked to fraternities.
The other schools contacted by the speaker are St. John’s University, Pace University, The New School, Mercy University, Touro College and Yeshiva University.
State data shows that the Title IX offices at the 10 schools received reports of 1,100 sexual misconduct incidents during the 2024 school year.
Six of those cases resulted in expulsions, while 10 led to suspensions, according to data submitted under New York’s “Enough is Enough” law.
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The 10 universities collectively receive more than $41 million in discretionary funding from the City Council, a source of leverage the city hopes will encourage them to take part in the hearing.
Students and survivors of sexual assault will also be invited to testify, a Council spokesperson said.
The Council pointed to the shocking alleged rape case that has rocked the Ithaca campus and drawn national attention as one reason for convening the hearing.
The alleged victim, a former Cornell sorority member, filed a lawsuit in September accusing seven men of participating in a drug-fueled gang rape at a fraternity house in October 2024. According to the suit, one of the men also advertised “free p—y” in a fraternity Snapchat group.
The Council also cited a troubling federal case in which a man was accused of drugging a Fashion Institute of Technology student with fentanyl and raping her in her dorm room in March. She died at a hospital several days later.
“Rather than waiting for another scandal to occur, the Council is proactively calling university leadership before the public to answer questions directly about the accountability measures in place,” the City Council said in a statement.
FIT, which is part of the State University of New York, was not among the colleges asked to provide testimony.