Spelman College, Morehouse College and Morehouse School of Medicine have issued a joint statement addressing sexual misconduct concerns connected to their shared Atlanta campus community, saying they take all such reports seriously as students demand answers. The statement comes amid online claims, some involving Morehouse students, that the institutions say have not been independently confirmed.
Three Institutions, One Unified Response
According to Atlanta Black Star, the three institutions said in their statement, “We take all concerns regarding sexual harassment and misconduct seriously,” adding that they remain committed to student safety and well-being. The outlet reported that the schools also shared campus-specific reporting options, counseling services and 24/7 confidential crisis support for students who may be affected. Separately, 95.5 WSB reported that Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College each said all reports are being taken seriously, framing the statement against a backdrop of nationwide concern over sexual misconduct on college campuses.
At least one woman has publicly alleged she was sexually assaulted and has named individuals in connection with the claims, the Atlanta Black Star report noted, while other claims circulating online involving Morehouse students have not been independently confirmed. The outlet also said it had not been made aware of any charges filed in connection with the allegations. The colleges have not publicly identified a specific incident that prompted the joint statement, per WSB's reporting.
A Pattern of Scrutiny at the AUC
Spelman and Morehouse are both members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium, where students regularly interact through joint programs and events, as Inside Higher Ed has reported. That shared campus structure has been at the center of past disputes: in late 2023, a Spelman student sued Morehouse College, alleging that campus officials dismissed her Title IX complaint after she reported being sexually assaulted by a Morehouse student.
The lawsuit claimed that Morehouse's police department did not interview witnesses or offer the student protective measures after she came forward. Inside Higher Ed's follow-up coverage noted that Morehouse described the complaints as part of an open investigation being handled by its Office of Title IX, Ethics and Compliance along with the Morehouse College Police Department. That same reporting pointed out that reports of sexual assault and harassment, along with complaints about how such cases were handled, had persisted at the schools for more than a decade, including renewed attention back in 2016, when Morehouse announced an overhaul of its Title IX complaint process and replaced its Title IX coordinator.
Prevention Efforts Date Back Years
Morehouse has taken some steps since then to address the issue. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education reported that more than 25 Title IX employees, executive leaders and faculty representatives from both Morehouse and Spelman met as a group to discuss joint educational outreach and how cases should be handled. The same publication noted that Morehouse instituted sexual-misconduct-prevention and reporting training for faculty, students and staff, requiring student leaders and athletes to complete bystander-intervention training.
The issue facing Spelman, Morehouse and Morehouse School of Medicine mirrors a broader pattern documented nationally. Per CBS News, more than 80% of the largest four-year colleges and universities in the country reported incidents of rape or fondling at least twice a year, on average, between 2019 and 2024, with more than 45,000 people reporting being raped or sexually assaulted to their college or university during that span. Experts cited by the outlet say that figure likely undercounts the true scope of campus sexual violence, since surveys show roughly one in five undergraduate students report experiencing at least one incident of sexual violence, and the majority of those incidents are never formally reported.
RAINN has reported similar trends nationally, finding that 13% of undergraduate students experienced rape or sexual assault after enrolling in college, and nearly 42% experienced at least one sexually harassing behavior since starting school. The Office for Victims of Crime has also studied the prevalence of sexual assault specifically at historically Black colleges and universities, according to its published research.
Part of a Wider National Conversation
The Atlanta statement arrives as sexual misconduct allegations have drawn scrutiny at other campuses around the country. The New York Times reported this week that an accusation connected to a fraternity near the University of Chicago drew renewed attention after revelations of a reported gang rape at Cornell University, noting that the University of Chicago said neither the suspect nor the victim in that case were students at the school. ABC News separately reported that a person of interest had been identified in that sexual assault case near the University of Chicago, according to university officials there.
For now, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Morehouse School of Medicine have not detailed the current status of any internal investigation tied to the recent claims, and 95.5 WSB has said it plans to provide updates as the story develops.
