Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, appearing at a Manhattan college with Representative Nancy Pelosi, on Monday called for the passage of “the toughest law in the nation” on campus sexual assault, a message aimed at state lawmakers who have expressed some reservations about his proposals.

Mr. Cuomo’s proposed policies, which are already in place at New York’s public colleges, would require private colleges to adopt “affirmative consent” as the standard of behavior, putting the burden on an accused student to show that the other person had agreed to the sexual activity, rather than making accusers prove that they had said no; silence or lack of resistance would not be considered consent.

Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, has also proposed that students reporting sexual assaults must not be punished if they were violating a campus policy on drinking or drugs, with the goal of removing the fear that by coming forward, those reporting might be reprimanded, administration officials say. The proposed policies would also require strict penalties for anyone found guilty of sexual assault, with either suspension or expulsion the only available options.

In recent weeks Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul has been traveling across the state to promote the changes, as has Christine C. Quinn, the former New York City Council speaker. On Monday, at the Fashion Institute of Technology, a state-run college in Chelsea, the governor himself spoke out, joined by Ms. Pelosi, Democrat of California. For additional star power, Mr. Cuomo’s office had already released a video message from the comedian Whoopi Goldberg.