University administrators keep quiet about two incidents alleging criminal behavior

By Grace Bertrand

University administrators have released no additional information about two incidents involving alleged criminal conduct, including a Jan. 1 sexual assault that reportedly happened on campus.

Rider is required by law to notify the campus community of serious threats under the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act that was enacted to keep university communities informed. 

After Rider’s Department of Public Safety was notified by Lawrence Police on Feb. 2 of the alleged sexual assault, Public Safety did not notify the university until 10 days later. School officials said the delay was at the request of Lawrence Police to “avoid compromising its investigation,” according to the Feb. 12 Timely Warning email sent out by Public Safety. 

Limited information 

After the Feb. 12 Rider alert informed students of the open investigation on the sexual assault case, university students remain in the dark regarding any new information on the case.

Director of Public Safety Matthew Babcock said he did not have any further information to share on who the individuals involved were or where the incident took place, as the investigation is with Lawrence Police. 

Lawrence Police Sgt. Daniel Gladney did not respond to multiple requests from The Rider News for information regarding the investigation. 

Babcock told The Rider News on Feb. 24, “The timely warning incident lies with the Title IX office for investigation.”  

Dean of Students and Deputy Title IX Coordinator Christine Mehlhorn told The Rider News on Feb. 17 that the university was relying on Lawrence police’s investigation and that any other available information would be “communicated appropriately.” 

“Our understanding is limited to the information shared by law enforcement, including that the reported incident occurred on campus on January 1, 2026, and involved individuals who were known to one another,” Mehlhorn said in an email. “The Timely Warning reflects all of the information currently available to us that we are able to share.” 

The issue comes years after students accused the university of failing to properly investigate sexual assaults on campus as required by Title IX, which is also federal legislation that requires universities to investigate sexual assault. 

Rider’s Title IX office is expected to provide support to the university community in creating a safe educational environment by addressing instances of discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct through investigation, formal and informal problem solving and education. 

In 2020, Rider launched an independent investigation after dozens of students and alumni who  were part of Rider’s former School of Fine and Performing Arts created a 44-page document detailing more than 120 anonymous complaints. These complaints included allegations of sexual harassment, racism, inappropriate relationships and body-shaming done by faculty at the university. 

The Rider News did an in-depth story in November 2022 on the failures of Rider’s Title IX office to communicate properly with students who had filed complaints and never got their cases resolved. Some of the victims of sexual harassment in previous years alleged to a Rider News reporter that the university never even interviewed them. The Title IX coordinator at the time, Barbara Lawrence, later left the university.  

According to Mehlhorn, former Title IX Coordinator Ryan McKinney is also no longer at Rider, and a new Title IX coordinator has been hired and will be announced to the university community soon. This new appointment comes after the Title IX Office has had several leadership changes during the last four years. 

Further silence 

Also this month, the university did not send a campuswide notification about a student’s arrest in Camden County for alleged possession of sexual abuse material involving a child. 

On Feb. 10, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office released a press release detailing the arrest and charges against Rider sophomore game design major Ethan Byrne for the possession of sexual abuse material involving a child in the third degree. 

Students were informed of Byrne’s arrest from a Feb. 18 article by The Rider News. Babcock said Public Safety only became aware of the arrest through social media the same day a press release was sent out by Camden County. 

Byrne was arrested during winter recess. Lt. Andrew McNeil of the prosecutor’s office said the investigation is ongoing. Byrne’s arrest and charge were not publicly detailed to the Rider community by the administration, prompting questions and concerns from other students after Byrne was seen on campus.

Assistant Dean of Students Keith Kemo told The Rider News in a Feb. 17 email that the university could not legally comment on any activity or action of a current student under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and therefore, were unable to confirm whether Rider was aware of Byrne’s arrest before he returned this semester. 

“What I can share, in a more broad fashion, is that if the university were aware of such information, we would take it very seriously,” Kemo said. “The Dean of Students Office would take immediate action to protect the health or safety of any community member, or prevent disruption to the university’s learning environment.” 

Kemo did not respond to a Feb. 24 email from The Rider News requesting more information. 

As both Lawrence Police and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office continue their investigations into the two reports of alleged illegal conduct, Rider is still permitted to conduct its own investigations into the matters and keep students informed.  

Kemo said that while the university is subject to federal privacy laws, Rider reviews all allegations that could violate Rider’s policy “in real time, as we become aware of things and take appropriate action all the time to keep the campus community safe.”