Cornell president acknowledges he knew about fraternity sexual assault but didn’t follow up

Key Points:

• Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff acknowledged for the first time that he knew about a student's sexual assault report in November 2024 but did not follow up with her, and only learned she had dropped out after she filed a lawsuit last month.
• The lawsuit, filed by a former student identified as "Jane Doe," accuses seven Chi Phi fraternity members of sexually assaulting her at a party in October 2024; all accused men deny wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed.
• Cornell's internal investigation led to expulsions, suspensions, and other disciplinary actions against some fraternity members, but the Tompkins County district attorney initially declined to press charges; this investigation is now being reopened with a special prosecutor appointed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
• Kotlikoff expressed regret over the incident and acknowledged a loss of trust within the campus community, while facing mounting criticism and an impending faculty senate vote of no confidence.
• In response, Cornell has suspended fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year, plans to enhance its sexual assault investigation resources, and retained former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of the university’s handling of sexual misconduct cases.