Cornell President Vows Change After Sexual Assault Allegations Involving Fraternity
Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff says the institution 'must do better' in its handling of sexual assault allegations against seven former Chi Phi fraternity brothers, as an independent review and a state criminal investigation move forward.
Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said the Ivy League school «must do better» as it confronts mounting questions over its response to sexual assault allegations involving seven former fraternity brothers, acknowledging that the case has shaken the Ithaca, New York, campus and raised broader concerns about party culture, alcohol and drug abuse, and how the university investigates such reports.
In a video statement to the Cornell community, Kotlikoff said the allegations brought by a student identified in court papers as Jane Doe are «deeply disturbing» and will «weigh heavily on our community for years to come.» He said his «heart aches» when he thinks about what she experienced, and he conceded that the university does not yet have all the answers — a admission he described as difficult for an institution to make.
«I want to acknowledge something that can be difficult for an institution to say: we don't have all the answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves,» Kotlikoff said. «I believe we as an administration, and we as a community, must do better.»
The case centers on allegations that seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted Doe during an October 2024 night at the fraternity house. Doe, who was a 20-year-old Cornell undergraduate at the time, filed a 101-page lawsuit last month accusing the men of sexual assault and rape and naming Cornell and other entities as defendants. The men have denied wrongdoing, with some saying the sexual activity was consensual and others denying any participation. No criminal charges have been filed against the seven.
The matter drew renewed scrutiny after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said his office had not received the full transcript of Doe's November 2024 interview with Cornell University Police before prosecutors initially declined to pursue charges. Van Houten reopened the investigation, and Governor Kathy Hochul subsequently appointed the Office of the New York State Attorney General as special prosecutor. Attorney General Letitia James said Friday that her office was conducting an «active criminal investigation.»
Kotlikoff welcomed an independent review by an outside law firm into Cornell's handling of the case and said the university supports Hochul's decision to turn the criminal investigation over to James. He added that Cornell would not wait for those reviews to conclude before making changes to prevention and education, student support, mental health and substance use resources, and investigative processes. «We will act,» he said.
The president also addressed frustration over the university's communication about its response, pledging greater transparency while acknowledging legal and privacy limits. «There are real legal and privacy limits on what we can say, but we will make a greater effort to explain what we can to provide context about the actions Cornell has taken and to be more transparent,» Kotlikoff said.
Beyond immediate changes, Kotlikoff said Cornell would reexamine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus and support efforts to change New York's sexual assault laws. «You have my commitment that this will not be a moment that passes,» he said.
The allegations have also revived scrutiny of a little-known New York law concerning intoxicated victims, adding a policy dimension to a case that has already prompted a criminal investigation, an independent review, and a broader reckoning over campus safety and accountability at Cornell.
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