Across New York’s largest colleges and universities, expulsions and suspensions for sexual violence remain infrequent, even amid thousands of reported incidents. An analysis of data collected from 2018 to 2024 reveals that eleven institutions with annual enrollments averaging 10,000 or more did not expel or dismiss a single student or employee for sexual violence during this period. These schools collectively received 1,810 reports of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking; however, only 176 cases underwent formal investigation, with 53 resulting in findings of responsibility.
The data, reported annually under New York’s Enough is Enough law, highlight a disconnect between public expectations and how colleges enforce federal Title IX mandates that prohibit sex discrimination in education. Title IX proceedings remain complicated for many students, particularly survivors navigating crises, according to Tamara Holder, a civil rights attorney specializing in sexual assault cases on campus. She noted that institutions may opt for leniency partly to avoid costly litigation initiated by accused individuals, some of whom hire attorneys who negotiate reduced sanctions akin to plea bargains. Holder characterized the current system as insufficient, arguing that it prioritizes institutional protection over victim safety.
Cornell University, which enrolled about 29,000 students on average over seven years, reported 1,216 sexual violence complaints to its Title IX office in that span. Of those, 162 cases were formally investigated, and 51 accused individuals were found responsible. Cornell suspended 14 students or employees and expelled or dismissed seven during this time. These findings include sanctions following a widely publicized 2024 gang-rape case involving seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity; Cornell’s spokesperson declined to provide specific information on disciplinary measures for those individuals but emphasized that not all reports proceed to formal investigation for reasons such as jurisdictional limitations or lack of complainant consent. According to a separate report, two accused students were expelled, three faced suspension or campus bans, one had graduated, and two others received lesser sanctions requiring training and reflective essays.
Among large New York institutions, Cornell’s expulsion and suspension rates per 10,000 students exceeded those of 20 of 26 comparable colleges and universities providing complete data. Binghamton University exhibited the highest rate in the state, averaging 3.8 expulsions or suspensions per 10,000 enrolled students annually, with 13 expulsions and 35 suspensions recorded. Syracuse University imposed the most total dismissals at 18, alongside 27 suspensions. Columbia University, New York’s other Ivy League school, reported four expulsions and 12 suspensions over the same timeframe.
These trends align with a 2022 nationwide analysis that examined outcomes at more than 100 large public universities, where disciplinary actions for sexual misconduct were also relatively rare. That study found Virginia Tech University held the highest rate of expulsions or suspensions for sexual misconduct—five per year per 10,000 enrolled students between 2016 and 2020. While methodological differences exist, including variations in covered offenses and employee discipline, the general pattern of limited formal sanctions emerged consistently.
The data underscore the ongoing challenges institutions face in balancing Title IX enforcement, legal considerations, and support for survivors, with many schools confronted by complex pressures amid heightened public scrutiny.