Cornell president says university must improve response after gang rape lawsuit

Cornell University president Michael I. Kotlikoff said the school must improve its handling of sexual assault cases following a civil lawsuit that alleges a gang rape at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. In an eight-minute video released on Saturday, Kotlikoff acknowledged that the university does not have all the answers but is committed to investigating the incident and preventing future assaults.

The lawsuit, filed by a former student identified as Jane Doe, claims she was drugged and repeatedly raped by several fraternity members after initially consenting to sexual contact while intoxicated. The university’s police and Title IX investigators received her report shortly after the alleged incident, and she also sought help from the campus health clinic. Attorneys for some of the accused men have denied the allegations, and the Tompkins County district attorney declined to file criminal charges, citing incomplete interview transcripts.

Kotlikoff described the events as “deeply disturbing” and said they raise serious concerns about party culture, alcohol, drug use and the university’s investigative processes. He welcomed Governor Kathy Hochul’s appointment of New York State Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor and said the board of trustees will soon commission an independent law-firm review of Cornell’s handling of the case.

"As a community, we must foster a culture in which sexual assault is inexcusable and ensure our community is empowered and understands informed consent, body autonomy and prevention," Kotlikoff said.

He pledged immediate actions to increase transparency, strengthen sexual assault prevention and education, expand substance-use resources, and reassess the role of sororities and fraternities on campus. Kotlikoff also affirmed support for legislative efforts to reform New York’s sexual assault laws.