Cornell faculty demand answers as campus protests grow over alleged fraternity rape
Professors and staff at Cornell University questioned administrators about the handling of a civil lawsuit alleging a gang rape at a fraternity house, while students and city officials prepared protests and a possible no-confidence vote.
Faculty and staff at Cornell University pressed university officials during a virtual webinar on Tuesday over the university’s response to a civil lawsuit alleging a gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024. The lawsuit names two students who remain enrolled and attending classes, a fact confirmed by university officials in the recorded session.
More than 300 questions were submitted, though only a few were addressed. Professors said they are finding it difficult to teach classes that include the accused students and are seeking ways to manage classroom dynamics. The faculty senate is set to consider a resolution for a no-confidence vote against senior administrators, with roughly 40 of its 75 members already supporting the measure.
University President Michael Kotlikoff released a video statement calling the incident “horrendous and inexcusable,” and said the school would conduct a “serious look” at the role of fraternities and sororities, while warning against focusing solely on Greek life. Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates has been appointed to lead an independent review of Cornell’s policies and response to sexual misconduct.
Student activism is intensifying. A seven-hour sit-in is planned for Wednesday, and the Ithaca Common Council will meet to discuss a proposed moratorium on Greek-life and special-event permits. Protesters have rallied with signs demanding justice for the survivor, identified in court filings as “Jane Doe.”
Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said the survivor has received threats, including a phone call threatening violence against her and her family. Calls to the National Sexual Assault Hotline have risen sharply, with many callers citing the Cornell case as their motivation.
“This is certainly and most intimately a Cornell community cultural challenge that we’re facing,” said Ryan Lombardi, vice president for student and campus life.
“This is obviously an absolutely horrendous and inexcusable situation that occurred in a fraternity,” said President Michael Kotlikoff.
The Tompkos County district attorney’s office declined to pursue criminal charges, stating that the evidence provided did not meet the threshold for prosecution. Cornell police had drafted letters to wireless carriers requesting preservation of electronic data, but it is unclear whether those requests were acted upon.