Napa Valley College campus police are investigating a letter alleging a student was sexually assaulted inside a dorm room at the school's on-campus housing complex, an incident that has pushed the community college to hold a town hall about sexual assault prevention. Superintendent and President Gayle Pitman says police became aware of the letter on September 30 and have since identified the student who wrote it.
According to The Press Democrat, Pitman confirmed in an email that campus police launched an investigation into the alleged assault and referred the matter to the college's Title IX office. The letter, photos of which circulated in a social media post, recounted a student's account of being assaulted in a dorm room by another student living in campus housing and demanded accountability, according to the same report. The newspaper also notes the letter called attention to public outcry over Cornell University's handling of an alleged gang rape investigation in 2024.
College officials said they could not release additional details about the allegations because the investigation is ongoing. Pitman said Napa Valley College does not condone or tolerate sexual violence, adding that reporting a sexual assault can be extremely difficult and that all reports are taken seriously. She also acknowledged a growing discussion about sexual assault and sexual violence on college campuses nationally, saying people are demanding accountability and calling for a cultural shift.
Where the Alleged Assault Took Place
The alleged assault was reported in a dorm room in the college's on-campus housing complex, which opened in August 2024. The $114 million development was supported by $31 million in state Higher Education Student Housing Grant funding, and it marked the first time students could live on campus at the community college. On-campus housing was launched in part to help students cope with the high cost of living in wine country, per the college.
Pitman took office as Superintendent and President in July, after the board selected her for the role in May, placing this investigation and today's town hall among the first major administrative tests of her tenure, as previously reported by Hoodline. In a video statement addressing the campus letter, Pitman pointed students toward NEWS — Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services in Napa County — as a non-mandatory reporter resource that can offer confidential advocacy and support, according to a Napa Valley College Facebook post.
Town Hall Set for Today, Separate From the Investigation
Napa Valley College is hosting a town hall today for students, faculty and staff to discuss resources for preventing sexual assault. College spokesperson Jenna Sanders said the town hall was not called to address the ongoing campus investigation, but rather to discuss resources, programs and educational opportunities aimed at shifting campus culture, the Press Democrat reports. Sanders said the institution's goal is to stop sexual violence incidents before they start.
Students Vanesa Molina and Cecilia Soria plan to attend. Soria told the Press Democrat that people now have confidence to open up and feel they have a voice. College leadership hopes the gathering encourages discussion of preventative measures going forward.
Separate Tracks: Criminal Investigation, Title IX and Federal Warnings
The college's response illustrates a legal distinction that often confuses students: campus police handle the criminal investigation, while a separate administrative process unfolds under Title IX and California law. California's Senate Bill 493 addresses grievance procedures related to sexual harassment, as discussed in a California Teachers Association memorandum. Separately, the Jeanne Clery Act sets campus crime-reporting requirements.
The college's annual crime report, released each year under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, covers campus crime data from 2023 to 2025 and includes crime reporting procedures along with information about the college's sexual violence policies. That report recorded one rape on public property in 2023, 11 instances of dating violence campus-wide over the three-year period, and four instances of dating violence specifically on the main campus during that span, the Press Democrat reports.
The Letter Circulated Publicly
The letter circulated publicly on social media, and campus police became aware of it on September 30.
The investigation also arrives amid heightened local attention to sexual assault reporting. Last month, Napa police arrested a 50-year-old masseuse on suspicion of felony rape and sexual battery following two separate weekend reports from clients, Hoodline previously reported.
