Columbia University released a long-awaited report Tuesday confirming that administrators ignored decades of warnings about an OB-GYN doctor who sexually abused more than 1,000 patients during his nearly 25-year career at the institution.
The 156-page report details a "culture of silence" within Columbia's OB-GYN department that allowed Dr. Robert Hadden to continue practicing despite multiple patient complaints. In response to the findings, two long-time administrators are leaving their positions: Dr. Mary D'Alton, chair of the OB-GYN department and Hadden's former supervisor, and Dr. Lee Goldman, former dean of the medical school.
The report was commissioned after a 2023 ProPublica investigation revealed how Columbia had dismissed women who reported abuse and ultimately protected a predator. In the wake of that reporting, Columbia announced a $100 million fund for survivors and pledged an independent review. The report was published days after the New York attorney general announced an investigation into Columbia's handling of the Hadden case.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates and Democratic lawmakers have long called for greater accountability at elite institutions accused of covering up abuse. Survivors and their supporters say the report confirms what they have argued for years: that Columbia prioritized protecting its reputation over patient safety.
Survivors including Marissa Hoechstetter and Evelyn Yang criticized the report for what they called its incompleteness. In a statement, the survivors noted the report fails to examine Columbia's actions after Hadden left the university, including documented efforts to destroy evidence and fight former patients in court.
"The only peace it gives me is that they are publicly saying, 'We knew about this and we did nothing,'" said Eva Santos Veloz, who was 18 when she reported that Hadden had touched her inappropriately during an emergency delivery in 2008. Her complaint went nowhere at the time.
Women's rights advocates have pointed to the report as evidence of broader systemic failures in how elite institutions handle sexual abuse allegations, particularly involving powerful physicians. These advocates argue that the hierarchical nature of medical institutions creates environments where predators can operate for decades.
What the Right Is Saying
Some defenders of Columbia's actions have noted that the university eventually took significant steps to address the abuse, including establishing a $100 million compensation fund and commissioning an independent review. They argue that the institution is now taking responsibility for past failures.
In a statement, Dr. Lee Goldman said his "heart breaks for the victims of Robert Hadden" and noted that during his tenure, Columbia "focused on prioritizing a culture of ethics and patient safety at the medical school."
Columbia's official statement accompanying the report said: "The University remains steadfast in our commitment to our ongoing responsibilities. We must continue to operate with transparency and confront systemic failures when they occur."
Some conservative commentators have framed this case as an example of institutional failure generally, arguing that universities need stronger accountability mechanisms. Others have noted that the administrators who were in positions of authority during the period of abuse are now being held accountable, with both D'Alton and Goldman leaving their administrative roles.
What the Numbers Show
The report documents more than 1,000 patients who were allegedly abused by Dr. Robert Hadden during his tenure at Columbia from approximately 1993 to 2016.
At least five separate complaints were reported to department leadership but resulted in no action against Hadden, according to the report.
The report outlines that more than a dozen patient complaints went unheeded during Hadden's tenure, with investigators noting that the university's record-keeping practices were insufficient and that higher-ups failed to conduct full investigations into his misconduct.
Dr. Mary D'Alton served as chair of the OB-GYN department from 2009 through 2024. Dr. Lee Goldman served as dean of Columbia's medical school from 2000 to 2023.
Former Columbia President Lee Bollinger, who retired in summer 2023, was among those alerted to Hadden's arrest the evening it occurred. Current Acting President Claire Shipman has been on the board of trustees since 2013.
The Bottom Line
The Columbia report represents one of the most comprehensive examinations of how a major American university failed to act on decades of warnings about a predatory physician. The departure of two senior administrators signals accountability, though survivors have noted the report does not address actions taken after Hadden left Columbia.
The New York attorney general's ongoing investigation could lead to additional findings and potential legal consequences for the institution. Watch for that investigation's conclusion, any settlements from the $100 million fund, and whether legislative proposals emerge from this case to require stronger reporting mechanisms at hospitals and universities nationwide.