Ithaca Council Approves Temporary Moratorium on Cornell Event Permits Amid Sexual Assault Investigation

The Ithaca Common Council voted late Wednesday night to halt the issuance of new city permits for Cornell University and affiliated student organizations, including fraternities, until Nov. 5. The 9-1 vote establishes a temporary moratorium on permits for assemblies, parades, special events at the Ithaca Commons and activities that require noise permits, with the council citing public-safety concerns.

The measure also adds an amendment that would require Cornell to refer investigations of sexual and violent crimes to the Ithaca Police Department, though enforcement details remain unclear. Council members said the action responds to community concerns over the university’s handling of recent rape allegations.

The moratorium follows a civil lawsuit filed in September by a former student, identified as Jane Doe, who accuses seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity of drugging and raping her on Oct. 19, 2024. The fraternity was suspended on Nov. 8, 2024, the same day Doe reported the allegations to campus police. While the accused deny wrongdoing, the case has drawn attention from local officials.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges, stating that Doe’s earlier sworn statement described the encounter as “voluntary, conscious, and consensional.” However, a later transcript of Cornell police interviews shows Doe stating she was raped, prompting the district attorney’s office to reopen the investigation.

Governor Kathy Hochul removed the case from the district attorney’s jurisdiction on Oct. 1, appointing Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor. In a statement, Hochul said newly released information raises serious questions about the Cornell Police Department’s investigation and the district attorney’s decision not to prosecute.

One of the men named in the lawsuit has petitioned a court to remove Attorney General James from the case, alleging bias based on a prior social-media comment.

Graduate students expressed concern that the broad scope of the moratorium could affect events unrelated to Greek life, potentially leading to canceled activities, lost deposits and disruptions to conferences.