Moore’s Oct. 15 directive to the Maryland Higher Education Commission comes amid renewed national scrutiny of how colleges respond to sexual assault allegations. In a lawsuit filed last month, a former Cornell University student identified as Jane Doe accused seven male students of raping her over seven hours at a fraternity party in October 2024 while she was under the influence of ketamine. The allegations have not been established in court. Local law enforcement in New York did not pursue charges, while Cornell imposed disciplinary sanctions, including suspensions and expulsions, against several students.

“Deeply troubling accounts have emerged in recent days” of students reporting sexual assault and being failed by their institutions, Moore wrote in his directive. He said the review is intended to identify ways to improve campus safety and accountability in Maryland.

The commission, known as MHEC, will work with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Interim Secretary Elena Quiroz-Livanis said the review would give colleges consistent guidance amid changes to federal rules, with a focus on accountability and protecting survivors’ rights.

The federal backdrop has shifted after the Trump administration rescinded Biden-era Title IX regulations last month. Those rules sought to extend protections to LGBTQ+ students but faced legal challenges. The administration had already been applying an earlier set of federal guidelines, which used a narrower definition of sexual harassment and provided additional due-process protections for people accused of misconduct.

Maryland colleges already must maintain written sexual misconduct policies, track cases and survey students about campus climate. MHEC also conducts a biennial review. The commission oversees policy for 14 public four-year institutions, 16 community colleges, 32 private institutions and more than 140 private career schools.

A state report released in August, based on data from 49 Maryland colleges and universities, recorded 3,435 incidents of sexual misconduct dating to 2024. Ninety-two percent were reported at four-year colleges. The report classified 476 incidents as “sexual assault I,” its most serious category. It said 53 cases led to formal investigations, 20 of which were still underway when the report was issued. In many other cases, the institutions lacked authority over the suspected perpetrator or the person reporting the assault chose not to proceed with an investigation.

Colleges reported providing supports including alternative housing, academic accommodations such as rescheduled tests, and referrals to counseling and other services.

The University System of Maryland, which includes the University of Maryland, Towson University and Bowie State University, said its institutions regularly review their policies and programs and are committed to campus safety, education and student support.