Maybe You Should Transfer
"Please don't take this the wrong way..."
Update (January 2026): The case remains unresolved. The Eastman School of Music and its parent institution, University of Rochester, have refused to offer a substantive explanation for their actions.
UR President Sarah Mangelsdorf refused to respond to two formal letters from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) documenting clear policy violations and retaliatory conduct. See thefire.org/rochester.
The institution also refused an independent investigation, despite documented concerns regarding the integrity of their internal process.
In its submission to the New York State Division of Human Rights, the school:
Demonstrably misrepresented the findings of its own internal investigation
Submitted anonymous posts from a student smear campaign as evidence
Characterized the harassment report as “self-centered”
Referred to its own reporting process as “a saga”
In formal correspondence, FIRE described the school’s posture as revealed in its DHR statement as one of “obvious contempt.”
Neil Varon, found in violation of harassment and privacy policies as determined by university investigation, remains employed at Eastman.
John Hain, who threatened me with litigation after I published about his mishandling of the complaint—also verified by investigation—remains Eastman’s Senior Associate Dean and Title IX Coordinator.
Aan investigative article is linked here. FIRE’s formal correspondence is linked here. This is provided for current and prospective students, faculty, staff, and others seeking a documented account of how these institutions handled harassment complaints.
Summary:
This excerpt documents Eastman’s response when I formally reported harassment and discrimination to senior leadership and the Title IX Coordinator. Administrators suggested that I transfer or change concentration, minimized the behavior as legally irrelevant, and warned me of retaliation risks. Nearly a year later, the university’s own investigation concluded that Eastman’s handling of the complaint failed to follow policy, citing deficiencies in transparency, procedures, resources, and support.
The text below is taken directly from my complaint against the Eastman School of Music, submitted to the New York State Division of Human Rights under penalty of perjury. I filed the complaint after being illegally expelled from the school with no process, warning, or prior disciplinary action.
Paragraphs are numbered as they are in the original filing. Redactions are marked in brackets. Some pronouns may be changed for anonymity.
60. After receiving the inappropriate text from Gibson, I reported a complete account of Varon’s behavior in a meeting with John Hain, Senior Associate Dean and Title IX Coordinator, and Reinhild Steingröver, Dean of Faculty.
60.a Note: This meeting constituted an official report of discrimination and harassment. Hain’s role of Senior Associate Dean places him in the second-highest ranking position in the school, in addition to his Title IX duties.
Hain later threatened me with a defamation suit when I published my account of these early meetings, long after I shared it with university investigators. (See ¶198-203, Doc C4: Hain Cease and Desist)
Nearly a year later, the university’s investigation found that Eastman’s handling of the complaint did not align with university policy, citing failures in transparency, resources, procedures, and support. Hain was assigned to training in communication and DEI and remains in the Title IX role. (See ¶275-277)
61. In the meeting, I described Varon’s behavior in detail and said it was unacceptable. Hain's first suggestion was that I transfer out of the school altogether, saying, “I don’t want things to get bad for you.” Hain prefaced his suggestion to transfer with, “Please don’t take this the wrong way,” and offered to refund my fees and expedite my transcripts.
62. I noted that admissions to conducting programs—particularly at the doctoral level—were extremely competitive, that only a few programs in the country offered Eastman’s level of resources and access. I questioned how transferring was a viable option.
63. Hain had no answer. His other suggestion was changing concentrations. Choral conducting—the area of conducting that has been historically most open to women—was his specific suggestion.
63.a Note: I have no expertise in choral conducting, and it is very unusual for students to change concentrations at the doctoral level.
64. Hain also said that Varon was “a jerk” who “screams at people.” He said that “a lot of attorneys” had told him there was “no law against being a jerk,” and that there was nothing he could do about that or Varon’s “bad teaching.” He said he could only act if the issues were related to my membership in a “protected class.”
64.a Note: I was aware of the legal distinctions before reporting. However, it was unclear why Hain raised the point at all, since I was reporting conduct directly related to my protected class…
Eastman repeatedly claimed that university policy prevented them from addressing Varon’s egregious behavior. However, when I raised protected concerns and challenged institutional misconduct, the school did not hesitate to expel me without notice or process—in violation of every published policy.
65. Hain also said that “academic freedom” prevented him from placing constraints around Varon.
65.a Note: This is a gross distortion of academic freedom. The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has repeatedly emphasized that academic freedom is bounded by professional responsibility. The AAUP’s Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of Students also makes clear that academic freedom extends to students…
Eastman repeatedly penalized me—culminating in an expulsion letter which explicitly cited my statements as grounds for dismissal—for voicing reasoned objections to discriminatory and retaliatory conduct—an actual violation of academic freedom, as well as institutional policy and state and federal law.
73. I asked Hain and Steingröver to clarify the distinction between formal and informal reporting. They explained that the meeting we were having was informal reporting, but that I could choose to file a formal report. I told them I preferred to handle the issue informally so I could quickly return to my studies.
They said they would talk to Varon but that they likely could not keep me anonymous due to the small size of the program. They wanted to ensure I understood the potential risk before moving forward, with Steingröver emphasizing, “He’ll know.” I acknowledged that this was a likely outcome.
74. Hain said the disciplinary meeting they intended to hold with Varon would be “a very difficult conversation for him.” I pointed out that Varon referred to previous disciplinary conversations as “a slap on the wrist.” Hain said that was “disappointing,” but offered no other response.
75. After the meeting, Steingröver followed up with a friendly email saying she could connect me with a conducting program in Germany and noted a documentary she’d recently watched about women conductors. She suggested we get coffee to discuss the German program.
76. I responded to Steingröver to say I would be very interested in study abroad and would like to meet for coffee.
77. I sent a separate email to her and Hain with documentation—including screenshots—of all the issues we discussed. I reiterated my request for Varon to be removed from the room while I was conducting and for assignment standards to be put in place.
77.a Note: I took Steingröver’s study abroad suggestion as a subtler way of communicating Hain’s point—that transferring was the best option. After I sent her and Hain documentation—indicating I was not letting the matter drop—the meeting invitation disappeared, and she never mentioned the German university again.
She later contradicted and disregarded my reports of faculty misconduct, denied my grant proposal while under investigation, and participated in my expulsion without process.
78.I took a few days off classes as an accommodation. The decision to report the misconduct alone had been time-consuming, stressful, and had put me behind on my intensive workload.
78.a Note: When I received the text from Gibson, I had extensive conversations with professional contacts about the best path forward. I spoke with [a faculty member]. He advised me against raising concerns, saying Eastman’s Title IX processes were as effective as a “drunk uncle assembling a Tinker Toy set.” He felt I might be better off not reporting at all…
(End of DHR excerpt)
What REALLY stands out to me, and puts everything else in it's orderly place, is the comment from a student that it was necessary to talk to Varon in "baby talk.!" That says all one needs to know right there.