Rebecca Bryant Novak
notorious-rbn.bsky.social
Rebecca Bryant Novak
@notorious-rbn.bsky.social
Expelled from the Eastman School of Music after reporting harassment. Publishing the legal filing on Substack. Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression has jumped in for advocacy. Stay tuned.
rebeccabryantnovak.substack.com
thefire.org/rochester
Pinned
He screamed. He cursed. He harassed.

I reported him.

The result?

He stayed at the Eastman School of Music. I got expelled.

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #AcademicSky #EduSky #MeToo #highered #musicsky #musiciansky
He Got A Slap on the Wrist. I Got Expelled.
Excerpts from my Eastman complaint to the New York State Division of Human Rights—submitted under penalty of perjury.
open.substack.com
1/ The cult of personality around an abusive professor didn’t just survive a harassment finding—it intensified.

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #AcademicSky #EduSky #MeToo #highered #musicsky #musiciansky @urochester.bsky.social
The "Varon Zone"
At Eastman, we're "a family."
open.substack.com
July 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
1/ When I reported harassment, the school's Title IX Coordinator advised me to transfer.

In the first meeting.

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #AcademicSky #EduSky #MeToo #highered #titleix #musicsky #musiciansky @urochester.bsky.social
Maybe You Should Transfer
"Please don't take this the wrong way..."
open.substack.com
July 28, 2025 at 8:32 PM
1/ My advisor said I was "impregnated" by a former prof while I was TA'ing 60 students. Later he kept saying "I need to get him out of you."
#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #AcademicSky #EduSky #MeToo #highered #musicsky @urochester.bsky.social
He Harassed. I Got Expelled.
"Impregnated" at Eastman. Then kicked out.
rebeccabryantnovak.substack.com
July 27, 2025 at 5:48 PM
“But I never thought the patriarchy would eat MY face,” sobs woman who became AG for the Patriarchy Eating Women’s Faces Administration.
July 12, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
The UFW can confirm farm workers were critically injured yesterday during chaotic raids in Ventura County, CA. Other workers, including US citizens, remain unaccounted for.

UFW staff is on the ground supporting impacted families.

Our full statement below. ⬇️
1/
July 11, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
A State Department employee shared with PBS News an image from inside the department. The image includes a piece of paper taped to a mirror with the words, "Colleagues, if you remain: RESIST FASCISM. Remember the oath you vowed to uphold."
July 11, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
ICE detained a Cincinnati Children's hospital chaplain, Imam Ayman Soliman.

“His supporters, including local clergy, politicians and representatives from Ignite Peace, said he was fleeing persecution in Egypt and feared his life would be in danger if ICE sent him home.”
Former Cincinnati Children's chaplain detained by ICE
Ayman Soliman was arrested after an ICE check-in, supporters say in advance of press conference.
www.cincinnati.com
July 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
July 9, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
Let me introduce you to Col Pam Stevenson, who is running for Mitch McConnell’s Senate in Kentucky. She is a firecracker and a fighter. She’s also a quilter with some absolutely gorgeous pieces under her belt — wouldn’t it be nice to have an artist on the hill?
open.substack.com/pub/jesspipe...
The Quilting Colonel Running for Mitch McConnell's Open Seat
Kentucky State Representative Pam Stevenson
open.substack.com
July 7, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
A gentle reminder that the VA getting rid of 30,000 people instead of 80,000 people isn’t a win.
July 8, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
Reports that a Canadian citizen who has resided in the US since age 10 was abducted at a green card interview.

Her husband is begging ICE to let him fly her back to Canada and they refuse to release her.
July 7, 2025 at 1:18 PM
After FIRE announced their advocacy for my case — university-verified faculty harassment followed by MY expulsion — Eastman students flooded Reddit with the exact “misogyny slop” @kattenbarge.bsky.social describes here.

Pro-tip: Being a snooty music school doesn’t mean your [slop] don’t stink.
The online ecosystem “has become, effectively, an essential tool for defending men accused of sexual violence or harassment, for it can generate a rabid kind of fandom that’s hellbent on defending them,” writes Kat Tenbarge.
Opinion | Blake Lively vs. the ‘Misogyny Slop Ecosystem’
It seems inevitable that this environment will deter other women from speaking up.
nyti.ms
July 8, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
In Washington protesters fighting to save their #Medicaid were arrested today.

Story in next post/
June 26, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Reposted by Rebecca Bryant Novak
I watched this happen to a friend 20 years ago. I've watched it happen to PhD students in various sciences. And THIS case - in 2025! - is worse than anything I saw in the 1990s-2000s.
I was expelled during an open harassment and retaliation investigation—by the administrators being investigated. No warning, process, or appeal.

It gets worse:

1/5

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #academicsky #edusky #highered #musicsky #metoo
This is Rebecca. She was a PhD student at the University of Rochester.

After speaking out about harassment by a professor, the Eastman School of Music didn’t support her — they retaliated, then expelled her without warning.

All for telling the truth — and we need your help.
June 26, 2025 at 12:08 AM
I was expelled during an open harassment and retaliation investigation—by the administrators being investigated. No warning, process, or appeal.

It gets worse:

1/5

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #academicsky #edusky #highered #musicsky #metoo
This is Rebecca. She was a PhD student at the University of Rochester.

After speaking out about harassment by a professor, the Eastman School of Music didn’t support her — they retaliated, then expelled her without warning.

All for telling the truth — and we need your help.
June 25, 2025 at 11:44 PM
800 miles from NYC, but knowing that there exists a place in this country where voting down a harasser was NOT a close call pretty much makes my night.
BREAKING: Zohran Mamdani is on track to become Dems' candidate for NYC mayor — toppling Andrew Cuomo's comeback dreams and putting incumbent Eric Adams on notice.

Cuomo has conceded and said he called to congratulate Mamdani.

ow.ly/SHE050WfR0C
June 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
He screamed. He cursed. He harassed.

I reported him.

The result?

He stayed at the Eastman School of Music. I got expelled.

#rochester #uofr #everbetter #meliora #urochesterresearch #rochesterbound #thisisROC #AcademicSky #EduSky #MeToo #highered #musicsky #musiciansky
He Got A Slap on the Wrist. I Got Expelled.
Excerpts from my Eastman complaint to the New York State Division of Human Rights—submitted under penalty of perjury.
open.substack.com
June 25, 2025 at 2:23 AM