Cornell University suspends fraternity house parties through 2027 amid sexual assault investigation
Cornell will ban social events at fraternity houses until spring 2027 and involve state police in campus sex-crime investigations following a lawsuit alleging assault at a fraternity.
Cornell University announced on Tuesday that all parties and social gatherings at houses governed by its interfraternity council will be suspended through the end of the academic year in spring 2027. President Michael Kotlikoff said the pause is intended to allow a thorough review of fraternity life and to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy that could trigger immediate emergency suspension of any chapter that violates the rules.
Kotlikoff wrote to the campus community that the university will add a case manager to its office of civil rights to assist students who report sexual misconduct, and will work with New York state police to let trauma-informed investigators handle allegations, rather than relying solely on campus police.
The decision follows a civil lawsuit filed in September by a woman identified as “Jane Doe,” who alleges she was assaulted by several men at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house after arriving intoxicated. Two men were expelled after an internal investigation, while others faced short suspensions or required to complete essays and workshops. No arrests or charges have been made by local authorities.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on 2 October that Attorney General Letitia James will serve as special prosecutor in the case, with the authority to present evidence to a grand jury if warranted. Two of the men named in the lawsuit have challenged James’s appointment.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.