Cornell President Faces Faculty Anger Over Handling of Fraternity Sexual Assault Allegations

Ithaca, New York: Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff faced sharp criticism from members of the university’s faculty on Wednesday at a meeting that highlighted deep frustration over his administration’s handling of a woman’s report that she was gang raped at a fraternity house in 2024.

Kotlikoff acknowledged some missteps but defended his leadership as he took questions from the university’s Faculty Senate, which was debating a resolution of no confidence in his administration.

Although the meeting was closed to the media, an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press showed Kotlikoff asking for more time to implement reforms and drive cultural change in student social life. He argued that experienced leadership was needed to confront problems that were complex and could not simply be dismissed, adding that replacing the president would not be the right response and would damage Cornell’s reputation.

Kotlikoff also left open the possibility of sweeping restrictions on Greek life, saying the university needed to determine whether fraternities could operate safely. On Tuesday, he announced a ban on fraternity parties through the end of the academic year.

“If, at the end of the day, fraternities cannot exist in a safe environment and we can’t be convinced that they can be safe, then we should make that decision,” he said, adding that the university should be guided by research and evidence rather than emotion.

After Kotlikoff left the meeting, a series of faculty members said they had lost confidence in the administration’s ability to tackle sexual assault on campus.

“The faculty were extremely angry. They gave him a hard time, I think appropriately so,” said Richard Bensel, a professor of government.

Some members of the Faculty Senate cautioned, however, that a hasty no-confidence vote would do little to address the underlying problems. The debate is expected to resume on 28 October, followed by an electronic vote. While a no-confidence vote would be largely symbolic, it could send a strong message to the university’s trustees, who ultimately oversee Cornell’s governance and leadership.

Lawsuit Prompts Scrutiny

Last month, a woman identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024, and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. All seven men have denied the allegations, stating either that their interactions were consensual or that they were not involved.

A criminal investigation by Cornell’s police department stalled after the local district attorney quickly concluded that no crime had taken place.

At the time, Kotlikoff publicly described the allegations as deeply disturbing, suspended the fraternity and said that both criminal and university investigations were under way. He later convened a presidential task force to review how Cornell handles cases of sexual assault.

However, in an interview with The New York Times published on Tuesday, Kotlikoff said he had never followed up to learn what had happened to the woman or to the criminal investigation.

When asked by a faculty member whether he had read the Cornell Police Department’s report on the allegations, Kotlikoff said he had not, explaining that the police investigation was confidential and that university policy prevents senior administrators from playing a role in criminal investigations.

“I really reject the idea that I had no interest in it or was not concerned about it,” he said.

Kotlikoff denied being unaware that students had been expelled or suspended following the university’s Title IX investigation, but acknowledged that until recently he had not known the woman had left Cornell.

Divisions Among Faculty

Faculty members described the meeting as contentious. Grant Farred, professor of Africana Studies and English, said the institution was split in significant ways, with many in the humanities feeling they had sufficient information to proceed, while colleagues in the sciences wanted more data.

Iris Packman, a research and policy expert at Cornell’s Climate Jobs Institute, said she felt Kotlikoff had become defensive during the session.

Labour history professor Paul Ortiz, lead sponsor of the no-confidence resolution, said the debate was driven by a perception that the administration was not doing enough to address what he described as an ongoing crisis.

Anne Marie Brady, a senior extension associate at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, welcomed Kotlikoff’s recent announcement that state police, rather than campus police, would temporarily take over investigations of sexual assault, but questioned its timing, coming just a day before the Faculty Senate debate.