Eloni Belcher, a second-year student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, is suing the university after she alleges her roommate urinated on her in their Broome Street dorm on April 12, 2023. Belcher claims that despite contacting university officials, the school failed to respond appropriately to the incident.
The Alleged Incident
Belcher said she woke up around 5:26 a.m. to find her roommate squatting over her and urinating on her arms. She described the moment as a “shock” and said that her roommate, who appeared to be intoxicated, was surprised when Belcher woke up and caught her in the act.
After the incident, Belcher immediately cleaned herself and washed her soiled mattress and bedsheets, which she said “smelled so rancid”.
“I was freaked out — so I got up, and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ and then she says, ‘Oh, sorry,’” Belcher recalled. “I was just in shock, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’”
Alleged Bullying and the University’s Response
Belcher claims she had a good relationship with her roommate until an argument the day before. She said she had asked her roommate to quiet down during a phone call because it was disruptive. The following night, she was allegedly assaulted in her sleep.
After the incident, Belcher reached out to NYU’s Department of Campus Safety. She met with two officers, filed a report, and contacted the New York City Police Department (NYPD). However, after waiting nearly an hour for the police to arrive, campus officials told her that “it wasn’t worth waiting for the police”.
NYU spokesperson John Beckman responded to these claims, stating:
“We want to emphasize that the university has taken this matter seriously since it came to our attention. Safety is our top priority — always.”
Investigation and Allegations of Negligence
After filing a police report, Belcher said the police struggled to classify the incident and eventually categorized it as harassment, a less serious charge than sexual assault or physical assault.
Despite requests for temporary housing, Belcher said she was told there were no available temporary spaces at the time. Later, she was informed that she had “declined” the offer for temporary housing.
Belcher expressed frustration with how the university handled her case, stating:
“I do not feel like, from my point of view, that the university is helping me. So that was putting my safety at risk and on the line and they could have handled that so much better.”
When she met with the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) on April 15, Belcher said staff admitted they had not yet begun an investigation, despite saying they would start the process the day before. She also claimed no one had visited her dorm or collected any evidence, such as her soiled bedsheet.
Public Video and Social Media Backlash
Belcher shared her experience in a public Instagram video on April 15, which quickly gained attention and received over 16,000 views. In the video, she criticized NYU’s handling of the situation and argued that her roommate should be required to move out.
Despite a “no contact directive” issued by NYU prohibiting further communication between Belcher and her roommate, Belcher claims that her roommate’s family and friends continued to send her threatening messages and comments online.
Some of her roommate’s friends called Belcher’s actions “despicable”, accused her of spreading “lies”, and even threatened “legal action”.
NYU’s Response to the Allegations
In response to Belcher’s claims, Jorgé Almonte-Florimon, Assistant Director of Student Conduct, informed her that the OSC had received a report accusing Belcher of engaging in “online behavior that constitutes harassment”.
Belcher believes this is in reference to a TikTok video in which she described her roommate being present during her move-out, despite assurances that she would not be there.
“It’s just ridiculous,” Belcher said. “I don’t know why I would lie about this and ruin my whole life with three weeks of school left.”
Belcher also asked a residence hall director to escort her roommate out during her move-out, but the staff member reportedly refused due to a lack of prior instruction from the OSC.