29 NY colleges aren’t following state law to prevent sex assault
Twenty-nine New York colleges and other higher ed institutions are not complying with the state law aimed at stopping sexual assaults on campus, according to a new audit.
Among those on the non-compliant list are Brooklyn College, the CUNY Graduate Center, Lehman College and Queensborough Community College, all part of the city University system.
The list also includes the New York Theological Seminary and the Salvation Army School for Officer Training.
Under the law approved in 2015, all colleges must have “affirmative consent” policies — meaning a student must give or receive verbal consent before having sex with a partner.
The law, among other things, requires that colleges publish a Student Bill of Rights advising them of their right to confidentially report sex crimes, including to the police. The schools must also have an amnesty policy, exempting a suspected sex assault victim from campus drug and alcohol policies when reporting an incident.
The law further requires schools to adopt written policies informing students about dating violence, stalking and sexual assault, and the right of alleged victims and the accused to present evidence or testimony at a campus hearing.
The survey by Gov. Cuomo’s office found 95 of 244 institutions — 38.9 percent — met all the law’s requirements.
About half — 120 colleges — were found to be “significantly compliant” with a few issues to correct.
The remaining 29 — 12 percent of the total — failed to meet a majority of the requirements and were listed as “non-compliant.”
“In New York, we know that sexual assault is a crime, and we will continue to hold our colleges and universities to the highest possible standards to ensure the safety of all New York students,” Cuomo said.
US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is reviewing sex assault policies to ensure the due process rights of accused students are protected, as well as those of alleged victims of sex assault.
In New York, the 29 cited schools must now submit an action plan to achieve full compliance within 30 days, and to submit documentation of full compliance within 60 days.
CUNY spokesman Frank Sobrino said the university will correct any deficiencies.
“Creating a safe and secure environment is a top priority at all CUNY campuses. We support the Governor’s Enough is Enough initiative and are committed to achieving compliance throughout the university,” Sobrino said.​