Cornell protesters swarm campus to support Jane Doe, call for university president's resignation

Cornell Faculty Push for No‑Confidence Vote as Sexual‑Assault Allegations Intensify

Ithaca, NY – A growing wave of discontent has swept across Cornell University, as more than half of the faculty senate’s voting members sign a resolution calling for a vote of no confidence in the administration. The move comes amid escalating protests, a high‑profile lawsuit, and a state‑level criminal investigation that together have thrust the university into the national spotlight.

Faculty and Students Unite in Protest

The resolution, drafted by Professor Paul Ortiz of the faculty senate, has garnered support from 40 of the 75 voting members. Ortiz said faculty members were “approached in our capacity as faculty senators by numerous Cornell colleagues demanding action” and that many of them had been approached by students who were “upset, fearful for their personal safety, and wanting our university to address the perennial problem of sexual assault on the campus.” The vote, if adopted, would be a formal rebuke of President Michael Kotlikoff’s handling of the campus safety crisis.

Student activists seized the campus on Tuesday, staging sit‑ins and marches that brought the protests to the heart of campus life. In a campus assembly held on Monday, Kotlikoff addressed the demonstrators, telling them: “We’re not hiding anything at Cornell” and that the administration would present proposals “to try and improve this culture and address this problem.” The president has so far refused to resign, a stance that has drawn criticism from both students and faculty.

Lawsuit Against Chi Phi Fraternity

The backdrop to the turmoil is a lawsuit filed in federal court on October 29, 2024, accusing seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity of drugging and raping a female Cornell student. The plaintiff, identified in court filings under the pseudonym Jane Doe, alleges that the defendants “drugged and raped her after she arrived intoxicated and was pressured into taking ketamine and other substances.” The accused men deny wrongdoing; some claim the sexual activity was consensual, while others deny any participation. No criminal charges have been filed against them to date.

The case has ignited a broader debate over campus safety and the treatment of sexual‑assault allegations. While the lawsuit claims the defendants used drugs to incapacitate the victim, a sworn statement from Doe in November 2024, recorded by the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office, frames her experience as “voluntary, conscious, and consensual.” The District Attorney, Matthew Van Houten, had originally declined to pursue charges, citing the lack of evidence that the victim was drugged against her will.

State‑Level Investigation

The conflicting narratives prompted a new investigation by the New York Attorney General’s office. On Friday, Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office was conducting an “active criminal investigation” after Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the Attorney General’s Office as a special prosecutor in the case. The investigation will look at the alleged gang rape and the university’s handling of the allegations, including how campus police responded and how the university communicated with students.

In addition to the state investigation, Cornell has retained outside counsel to conduct an independent review of its response to the allegations. The review is intended to assess whether university policies and procedures were followed and whether there were any lapses that could have contributed to the alleged assault.

Conflicting Accounts and Ongoing Tension

The case has highlighted starkly different versions of what happened on the night of the alleged assault. While the lawsuit details drugging and forced sexual activity, the victim’s later statement suggests consensual behavior. The university’s police report and the attorney general’s investigation will play crucial roles in reconciling these accounts.

The dispute has also drawn national attention. A news article on Fox News, written by Michael Dorgan, highlighted the “explosive allegations” and the political firestorm that has followed, noting the involvement of the Attorney General and Governor Hochul. The coverage underscored the urgency of an independent review and the broader implications for campus culture across the country.

The Road Ahead

The faculty’s resolution, if it passes, would compel President Kotlikoff to answer a formal question of confidence from the university’s governing board. Meanwhile, the university’s legal team continues to navigate the complex litigation and the state investigation. Students and faculty remain on high alert, demanding transparency and swift action.

As Cornell grapples with these intertwined challenges, the outcome will shape not only the campus’s future but also set a precedent for how universities nationwide confront sexual‑assault allegations and the accountability of their administrators.