Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff acknowledged he never followed up on a 2024 gang rape allegation at a fraternity house. The admission precedes a faculty no-confidence vote.
Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff has acknowledged that he never followed up on a student’s report of being gang raped at a fraternity house in 2024. The admission was made in an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, just before the Cornell Faculty Senate began debating a no-confidence resolution in his administration.
Kotlikoff stated that while he knew in 2024 that a student had reported the assault, he did not know until recently that the woman had dropped out of Cornell or that students had been expelled or suspended over the incident. He publicly addressed the allegations involving the Chi Phi fraternity house in a November 2024 message to the Cornell community, stating that criminal and university investigations were underway.
Although Kotlikoff convened a presidential task force to examine how Cornell handles sexual assault, he confirmed this week that he never followed up to learn the outcomes of the criminal or Title IX investigations into the woman’s allegations.
The case has drawn national attention since the woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges after reviewing a summary prepared by Cornell University Police. Van Houten later said the summary omitted key details and reopened the investigation after the lawsuit was filed. New York Governor Kathy Hochul subsequently removed Van Houten from the case, appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, and ordered an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the allegations.
In response to the scrutiny, Kotlikoff announced a ban on fraternity parties through the end of the academic year and plans to give state police a role in investigating sexual assault reports.
The proposed resolution by the Cornell Faculty Senate declares no confidence in the administration's ability to handle reports of sexual assault on campus. Faculty members argue that the case reflects broader concerns about institutional accountability, retaliation against those who report misconduct, and the independence of campus police investigations.
Ariana Kim, an associate music professor at Cornell and co-sponsor of the resolution, described Kotlikoff’s lack of follow-up as "appalling." Kim, who has experienced bullying and sexual harassment by senior colleagues, stated that Cornell failed to properly document her complaints and that she was never clearly informed what disciplinary action had been taken. She said she was asked "what I had done to provoke the situation" and believes reporting the misconduct affected her tenure review.
Anne Marie Brady, a senior extension associate at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and another co-sponsor, questioned whether Cornell University Police can independently investigate serious allegations. "There doesn’t seem to be independence between the administration and the Cornell Police Department," Brady said. She welcomed the involvement of state police but questioned the timing of the announcement, noting it came just before the Senate debate.
The Faculty Senate, which has approximately 130 voting members, was scheduled to debate the resolution through Oct. 28, followed by electronic voting. A simple majority is required for passage.
This incident highlights critical issues regarding institutional accountability and the independence of campus law enforcement in handling sexual misconduct cases. The potential no-confidence vote signals deep dissatisfaction among faculty regarding administrative transparency and the safety of students and staff who report crimes.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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