Seton Hall University president Monsignor Joseph Reilly is facing growing pressure from government officials and demands for transparency following a report that says he is looking the other way in sexual assault cases.
Meanwhile, the university is facing a lawsuit filed last year by former president Joseph Nyre, alleging retaliation, breach of contract and other misconduct by the Board of Trustees.
The regents have not commented on Reilly’s condition and said little about Nyre’s case, except for a report issued in July. Lawmakers are now putting pressure on the private agency to take action, raising questions about how the board resolves bipartisan disputes behind closed doors with little public oversight.
Bomb Report
Reilly, who was hired as president in April, has a long history with Seton Hall.
The new president received a degree in psychology from the university in 1987; In 2002, he became a lecturer at the College Seminary at St. Andrew Hall, the undergraduate seminary of the Archdiocese of Newark, which is part of Seton Hall. Ten years later Reilly became dean and dean of the university’s seminary, a position he held until 2022. He then took a year’s sabbatical before returning as a deputy for academics and Catholicism.
Reilly also served on Seton Hall’s Board of Trustees—one of two governing boards—during his tenure as director.
It was while attending the School of Religion that Reilly was accused of knowing about the alleged sexual abuse that he did not report, according to the revised documents. Politics. The case is related to mounting sexual abuse allegations involving disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, media reports said, who “created a culture of fear and intimidation” and “used his position as Archbishop of Newark” — which sponsors Seton Hall — to “sexually abuse seminarians” for decades, according to a university report released in -2019.
McCarrick, who sat on both boards at Seton Hall, was removed from office by the Vatican after being found guilty of sexual misconduct in a legal case. The case against McCarrick was suspended last year due to incompetence due to a diagnosis of dementia.
Although Seton Hall has never publicly released its full report on McCarrick’s alleged abuse, PoliticsA review of the results revealed that Reilly knew about the allegations against the cardinal and failed to report to university officials a student complaint about sexual harassment by a seminary student. Politics he also reported that Reilly fired another seminary student in 2012 who had been sexually assaulted and did not investigate the incident. In another incident, Reilly was allegedly informed of a 2014 sexual assault case and did not report it.
Politics they also reported that Reilly did not fully cooperate with the 2019 investigation into McCarrick’s alleged abuse. A task force set up in 2020 to carry out disciplinary action after the McCarrick scandal recommended removing Reilly from board and leadership roles.
As the controversy unfolded, Seton Hall did not say anything publicly.
“As part of the search for the university’s 22nd president, the Board of Regents reviewed several candidates and nominated Monsignor Joseph Reilly to lead Seton Hall in recognition of his decades of successful service and leadership,” a Seton Hall spokesperson said in an email. Within Higher Ed. “The Board of Regents remains unequivocal in its support of Monsignor Reilly and strongly believes in his ability and vision to advance Seton Hall’s standing as one of the nation’s leading Catholic universities.”
The university did not provide a requested interview with the regents, but a spokesperson added that after a 2019 review by the law firm, “the board has determined that Monsignor Reilly should continue in his role and is eligible for future roles at the University.” Seton Hall declined to provide a copy of the report.
Looking for Answers
Seton Hall’s silence did not go unnoticed by Democratic state senator Andrew Zwecker, who is chairman of the Senate Oversight Committee and vice chairman of the higher education committee.
“I am shocked that they have doubled down at this point without any transparency, just general statements about values and doing a good job, and so on,” he said. Within Higher Ed.
Although Seton Hall is private, Zwecker noted that it receives about $2.5 million in federal funding for specific programs. He added that the state could reduce those funds—something he would choose if the university did not respond publicly to allegations that Reilly ignored sexual harassment.
“This is a factor that we absolutely have to consider to maintain pressure,” Zwecker said.
It also measures public hearing. But Zwecker said he would like to see Seton Hall address the issue and answer questions about what Reilly knew about sexual harassment and whether the Board of Regents ignored those findings when it voted to hire him.
If the regents know and “vote to impeach this president anyway, he should resign immediately,” Zwecker said.
Democratic Governor Phil Murphy also weighed in last week.
“The Governor is deeply concerned about these allegations and believes that Seton Hall University should issue a full report,” press secretary Natalie Hamilton said. Within Higher Ed by email.
The Star Ledger The editorial board challenged the university for its lack of transparency, publishing an opinion piece on Monday titled “Why is Seton Hall hiding this sexual harassment report?”
Seton Hall faculty members also want to be transparent.
Nathaniel Knight, chairman of Seton Hall’s Faculty Senate, noted “tremendous concern” among professors and said he wants to see “a greater level of transparency” at the university.
Knight said he supported Reilly’s appointment as president, saying he had “the memory of the institution” during his many years of service and seemed to “embody the spirit of Seton Hall.” But now Knight wants the university to fully explain the concerns about the new president.
“I support Monsignor Reilly. I support his appointment. I think he is a good man, a man of integrity and faith, and he is a person who has brought the promise of uniting the university, the community, in the things that are important as a Catholic institution of higher education. Whatever it is, I’d like to be able to measure that against what I see in Monsignor Reilly,” Knight said.
The Explosive Case
At Seton Hall, Reilly’s argument comes after Nyre’s unexpected exit in 2023, which shocked many in the community.
“It was a surprise. I think we were confused. He was brought in with great enthusiasm not too long ago,” said Knight. “He saw the university with a strong hand during the years of COVID and is in the process of implementing this strategic plan that he created. We have not seen anything to indicate that there are problems at work. It wasn’t green anymore and it made us all scratch our heads.”
Nyre sued Seton Hall in February of last year, alleging breach of contract and retaliation by the board.
In the lawsuit, Nyre claims he was fired by the Board of Regents following a conflict with then-chairman Kevin Marino, whom he accused of mishandling matters, improperly interfering in a law school fraud investigation and sexually assaulting his wife, Kelli Nyre. , among other cases. Marino, who is no longer on the board, was not named as a defendant in the case even though he was among some of the allegations.
“Our case focuses on the failure of the Board of Regents’ system and unwillingness to comply with federal laws, including Title IX, Title VII, and Title IV, as well as city rules and university policies,” said Matthew Luber, an attorney representing Nyre. , the statement said. “As stated in the Complaint, the Defendants are prioritizing self-defense, suppressing objections and retaliating against people like Dr. Nyre who reported misconduct and advocated for meaningful change. As further alleged in the Complaint, the Board of Trustees not only neglected its fiduciary duties, but placed the University and its employees in grave danger. Regardless of the outcome, change is urgently needed at Seton Hall.”
The university backed down in court. Officials filed a motion to dismiss last March, saying Nyre failed to state a claim and that the terms of his severance agreement bar him from filing a claim against Seton Hall and/or the Board of Regents. Seton Hall’s attorneys wrote in a brief that Nyre’s case “can best be described as a prank, and a gross dishonesty.”
University officials did not address the Nyre case in a statement Within Higher Edbut last July they released a report from an outside law firm dismissing the claims against Marino. The company’s lawyers, Perry Law, wrote that “they did not find evidence to prove Mrs. Nyre by Mr. Marino, despite the abuse that is said to have happened in public places close to many other people.”
The Perry Law report was released on July 2, one day after Reilly took office. The report did not include interviews with the Nyres, who the authors noted did not participate in the investigation. Witnesses to the allegations told investigators that they did not see Marino behave the way he was accused, while the former board chairman denied that and said the case was “depressing and sad.” Also, in a statement to Within Higher Ed last year, Seton Hall said the claims were unfounded.
As controversies erupt involving current and former Seton Hall leaders, more details may emerge from the Nyre case, barring dismissal or corrections. But Reilly’s review may remain shrouded in mystery as Seton Hall hunts down the floor, ignoring widespread calls for transparency.
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