Tyler Clementi Suicide: Sen. Lautenberg Urges New Law to Crack Down on College Bullying

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBS/AP) In the wake of Tyler Clementi's suicide, Sen. Frank Lautenberg says colleges and universities should adopt a code of conduct to prohibit bullying and harassment in all forms.

PICTURES: Tyler Clementi

At a town meeting Wednesday night in memory of the Rutgers University freshman who jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge, Lautenberg, D-N.J., said he will introduce legislation to require schools to put such policies in place.

Dharun Ravi, who was Clementi's roommate, and another student, Molly Wei, are charged with invasion of privacy for streaming online a sexual encounter involving Clemnti and another man.

The town meeting, which was organized by the university and the gay rights activist group Garden State Equality, drew approximately 300 students as well as U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and actress/comedienne Judy Gold, who graduated from the university and is a gay rights activist, reports The New York Daily News.

Lautenberg spoke sternly to the crowd.

"No one could have heard about this degradation he suffered without feeling pain themselves," Lautenberg said. "This is a major problem, and we're going to fix it."

Clementi had reportedly voiced his complaints to university personnel and had asked for a room change, after learning of his roommate's spy-cam escapades.

Sen Lautenberg said the measure he wants would require colleges and universities that receive federal student aid to create policies prohibiting harassment of any student.

The bill would also provide funding for schools to establish programs to deter the harassment of students, says The New York Daily News.

COMPLETE COVERAGE OF TYLER CLEMENTI ON CRIMESIDER

ALSO ON CRIMESIDER