Across the country there has been a steady drumbeat of college students protesting what they call a lack of attention to sexual assaults on campuses. The government says one in five women will be sexual assaulted before graduation.
Catherine Lhamon is from the U.S. Department of Education.
"The president and the vice president both strongly called for greater transparency and a movement across the country for us to change campus cultures so that we are making sure that all of our students are safe," Lhamon said.
The 55 schools publicly named span from coast to coast and include renowned institutions such as Princeton, UC Berkeley, Vanderbilt and Harvard. All 55 are currently under investigation for violating Title IX, the federal law requiring schools to advise victims of their rights, conduct investigations and ensure victims' safety.