Reports of sexual violence are up. Data from Cornell and other colleges in 8 charts.
- Cornell University under fire as lawsuits expose a system where only a fraction of sexual misconduct reports result in serious discipline.
- State data shows that out of 1,200 incidents reported at Cornell since 2018, only seven resulted in expulsion.
- Across New York, fewer than 1 percent of 25,000-plus reported incidents ended in student expulsion or staff dismissal.
- Experts point to a broken system where universities favor informal resolutions and no-contact orders over meaningful accountability.
Brief Summary
Cornell University is scrambling to save face after a viral lawsuit and public outrage forced an external investigation into its handling of sexual violence. While the school claims to take reports seriously, state-mandated data paints a grim picture: sexual assault reports are surging, yet formal disciplinary outcomes like expulsion remain statistically invisible. The vast majority of incidents never reach a courtroom or result in a permanent record for the accused, with schools frequently opting for administrative band-aids over justice.
Why This Matters
This report pulls back the curtain on the administrative theater occurring behind the ivy-covered walls of America's elite institutions. If you or a family member are considering higher education, realize that the safety statistics presented by these universities are often sanitized to protect the school's reputation rather than the student body. The lack of federal transparency means that once you step onto campus, you are entering a private judicial ecosystem where 'accountability' is often replaced by mediation, leaving victims with little recourse and predators with little consequence. This isn't just a Cornell problem; it is a systemic failure across the higher education landscape that demands you look past the glossy brochures when evaluating campus safety.