Rutgers dedicates Tyler Clementi Center

Rutgers dedicates Tyler Clementi Center

Tyler Clementi would have been in his third year at Rutgers University, but tragically his life ended at the start of his first year. But now his name will live on.

"It is very painful and difficult for me personally to come," said Jane Clementi, Tyler's mother.

Rutgers University is where Jane Clementi believes her son Tyler was driven to his death two years ago. The freshman took his own life after his roommate used a webcam to spy on him with another man.

Now Jane and her family are back on campus to prevent that from happening again.

"Suicide is never the answer and I would hope that maybe they will learn that they need to reach out and find comfort and find encouragement from those around them," Jane Clementi said.

The Clementis hope the new Tyler Clementi Center at Rutgers University will teach that. There will be research, lectures, and training on things like cyber-bullying, the misuse of social media, and the transition from home to college.

"There are young people like Tyler in every community," said Richard Edwards, of Rutgers University, "and in making life better for them we transform Tyler's experience and enormous promise into a global opportunity for social change."

Tyler's brother said this center will change lives, and could have changed Tyler's.

"It's bittersweet because I feel like if this could have been in place when Tyler was coming here as a student it might have made all the difference for him and we might still have him with us," James Clementi said.

As this new center named for Tyler is dedicated here at Rutgers, on Capitol Hill Monday local lawmakers are still fighting to get a bill named after him passed. The proposed Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act would require all universities to have an anti-harassment policy.