By Lev D. Zilbermints
In the first two parts, published March 27 and April 3, Local Talk wrote about the Latham Report, which is still not fully released; the findings of that report; Seton Hall University’s lawsuit against ex-President Joseph Nyre; and the controversy around current President Joseph Reilly.
In this, the third and final part, Local Talk will look at the reactions of the Seton Hall University students, faculty, alumni and administration to the sexual harassment and assault controversy surrounding Monsignor Joseph Reilly, the current 22nd President. Also examined will be the reactions of New Jersey’s political leaders.
Reaction of the Seton Hall University community
According to the February 24, 2025 issue of The Setonian, the online student newsletter, there is a big gap between how students, professors and university officials perceived the controversy surrounding Monsignor Joseph Reilly. While students are critical, and faculty want more information about the matter, university administration has been unanimous in its support for the embattled president.
According to the February 24, 2025 issue of The Setonian, “Michael Parisi, a graduate supply chain management major who said he first heard of the Msgr. Reilly allegations from The Setonian’s Instagram, connected it to other scandals that the university has faced during his four years at SHU. These issues ranged from an embezzlement scheme at the law school to the surprise resignation of and subsequent lawsuit filed by former president Dr. Joseph Nyre. But even with “so much that happened in the past,” Parisi said he still found the allegations about Msgr. Reilly “shocking.”
“You’d expect some sort of normalcy after a little bit of time, where they’ll find somebody who really can right the ship”, Parisi said. “But I guess it’s just a lot of the time there’s always something where you just go: ‘Oh, that’s Seton Hall, checks out.”
Parisi also expressed concern for the reputation of the university and its alignment with the Catholic mission.
“It takes away from the whole message of the church to unite people and to help a neighbor, to really be that interconnected community and to make the world a better place,” he said, per Setonian.
This is a graduate student talking. Obviously Parisi has seen a lot during his four years at Seton Hall University and wants reforms. As will be seen, undergraduate students also want changes for the better at Seton Hall University.
According to the February 24 issue of The Setonian, Jareyli Reyes – Arce, a freshman nursing major, said she was unaware of the Msgr. Reilly allegations and that she does not like to get involved in the “politics” surrounding SHU or in general. However, upon hearing some of the details, Reyes – Arce expressed concern that the scandal could negatively impact people’s view of Catholicism and discourage others from following the religion.
“For people to hear about Catholics and sexual assault, they’re going to correlate the two of them, which is not something I am proud of,” Reyes – Arce told the Setonian.
According to The Setonian, Kenneth Roman, a junior marketing major who heard about the scandal through word of mouth, expressed disappointment but not surprise.
“Being someone that’s Catholic, it’s pretty unsettling to see all these scandals regarding the Catholic Church surface quite often,” Roman told The Setonian.
Faculty demands transparency
According to a January 23, 2025 article at Dual leadership controversies plague Seton Hall faculty members at Seton Hall University demand transparency.
“Nathaniel Knight, chair of Seton Hall’s Faculty Senate, noted “considerable concern” among the professoriate and said he wants to see a “greater degree of transparency” from the university.
Knight told Inside Higher Education that he supported Reilly’s hiring when he was named president, noting he “had the institutional memory” given his years of service and seemed to “embody the spirit of Seton Hall.” But now Knight wants the university to fully explain the concerns around the new president.
“I support Monsignor Reilly. I supported his hiring. I think he’s a good man, a man of integrity and religious faith, and is someone who brought a promise of bringing the university, the community, together as a Catholic institution of higher education. Whatever is out there, I’d like to be able to weigh that against the positives that I see with Monsignor Reilly,” Knight told Inside Higher Ed.com for its January 23, 2025 article.
Political leaders demand answers from Seton Hall University
According to the January 23, 2025 Inside Higher Ed article, Democratic state senator Andrew Zwicker, chair of the Senate Oversight Committee and vice chair of the higher education committee demanded answers from Seton Hall University.
“I’m appalled at the fact that they’ve just doubled down at this point without any transparency, just generic statements about values and doing a good job, et cetera,” Senator Zwicker told Inside Higher Ed.
According to the Inside Higher Ed article, though Seton Hall is private, Zwicker noted that it receives about $2.5 million in state funding for certain programs. He added that the state could cut those funds – an option he might pursue if the university doesn’t respond transparently to concerns that Reilly ignored sexual abuse.
“That is a lever that we must absolutely consider to keep the pressure on,” Zwicker told Inside Higher Ed.
According to Inside Higher Ed, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy also made his opinion known.
“The Governor is deeply concerned by the allegations and believes that Seton Hall University must release the full report,” press secretary Natalie Hamilton told Inside Higher Education by email.
According to a January 9, 2025 article in Politico, two New Jersey politicians demanded that Seton Hall provide answers to its latest scandal.
“I simply have no tolerance for the normalization of sexual assault or support for those who cover up acts of predators. I have college-aged kids; this reporting is deeply disturbing to me,” said Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, whose district includes South Orange, where Seton Hall is located. She is also running for governor of New Jersey.
“Seton Hall needs to address this situation immediately and can start by publicly releasing the findings of their investigation and recommendations related to Monsignor Reilly.”
The vice chair of the New Jersey state Senate Higher Education Committee, Andrew Zwicker, said Reilly and anyone on the university’s governing body who had knowledge of his conduct should resign.
“It’s appalling and disgraceful,” Zwicker, a Democrat, said in an interview. “The fact that we have someone that took a year off and comes back and installed as president is really just beyond the pale.”
University administration supports Monsignor Joseph Reilly as President
As was repeatedly reported by “Local Talk,” the Star-Ledger, and other print and online media, Seton Hall University administration is supporting Monsignor Joseph Reilly as president.
According to a January 23, 2025 Inside Higher Ed article, the university stated in an email, “As part of the search for the university’s 22ns president, the Board of Regents reviewed several candidates and overwhelmingly selected Monsignor Joseph Reilly to lead Seton Hall in recognition of his decades of effective service and leadership. The Board of Regents remains unequivocal in its support of Monsignor Reilly and firmly believes in his ability and vision to enhance Seton Hall’s standing as one of the nation’s foremost Catholic universities.”
