{"id":8801,"date":"2026-10-14T22:36:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T22:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8801"},"modified":"2026-10-14T22:36:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T22:36:44","slug":"cornell-president-admits-he-never-followed-up-on-gang-rape-allegation-ahead-of-no-confidence-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8801","title":{"rendered":"Cornell president admits he never followed up on gang rape allegation ahead of no-confidence debate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Protesters listen to speakers at a rally in support of a former Cornell University student known as Jane Doe at the Ithaca Commons, Tuesday, in Ithaca, New York. The rally was organized by several survivor and activist groups to demand accountability regarding Jane Doe’s alleged gang rape she suffered at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. Officials at Cornell University announced they would ban fraternity parties for the remainder of the academic year as the university continues to face scrutiny over their handling of the 2024 rape allegations. Getty Images via AFP-Yonhap<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff knew in 2024 that a student had reported being gang raped at a fraternity house, but never followed up to learn what had happened to her or whether any of the accused students had been punished.<\/p>\n

In an interview with The New York Times published Tuesday, a day before Cornell\u2019s Faculty Senate was set to begin debating a no-confidence resolution in his administration, Kotlikoff acknowledged that he did not know until recently that the woman had dropped out of Cornell or that students had been expelled or suspended over the incident.<\/p>\n

Kotlikoff publicly addressed what he called \u201cdeeply disturbing\u201d allegations involving drug use and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house in a November 2024 message to the Cornell community, saying criminal and university investigations were underway.<\/p>\n

He subsequently convened a presidential task force to examine how Cornell handles sexual assault, but said this week that he never followed up to learn the outcomes of the criminal or Title IX investigations into the woman\u2019s allegations.<\/p>\n

Case has drawn national attention, roiled campus<\/strong><\/p>\n

The case has drawn national attention since the woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe , filed a lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Kotlikoff announced a ban on fraternity parties through the end of the academic year and plans to give state police a role in investigating sexual assault reports.<\/p>\n

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges after reviewing a summary prepared by Cornell University Police, but later said it omitted key details. He reopened the investigation after the lawsuit was filed. Gov. Kathy Hochul subsequently removed him from the case, appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor and ordered an independent review of Cornell\u2019s handling of the allegations.<\/p>\n

The Cornell Faculty Senate’s proposed resolution, declaring no confidence in the administration’s ability to handle reports of sexual assault on campus, reflects growing concerns among some faculty members that people who report sexual misconduct face institutional barriers and fear retaliation. Some have called for Kotlikoff\u2019s resignation, while others have urged patience as independent investigations proceed.<\/p>\n

Kotlikoff was scheduled to address the Faculty Senate on Wednesday before members begin debating the resolution. Debate was expected to continue Oct. 28, followed by electronic voting by the Faculty Senate, which has approximately 130 voting members. A simple majority is required for passage.<\/p>\n

Professor who reported harassment says it nearly cost her career<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Ariana Kim, an associate music professor at Cornell and co-sponsor of the resolution, Kotlikoff\u2019s acknowledgment that he had not followed up on the woman\u2019s case was deeply troubling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, that\u2019s appalling in and of itself, right?\u201d Kim said. \u201cThat you don\u2019t know about a student who faced an alleged horrific crime, that you don\u2019t think to check in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim, a Grammy-nominated violinist, said she was motivated to take action after being struck by Jane Doe’s story, as well as her own personal experiences on campus since she started at Cornell a decade ago as a young academic in her 20s. She said when she experienced bullying and sexual harassment by senior colleagues, Cornell failed to properly document her complaints and that she was never clearly informed what disciplinary action, if any, had been taken.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was asked what I had done to provoke the situation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Kim said she continued to be expected to work alongside colleagues involved in the dispute. She believes reporting the misconduct later affected her tenure review.<\/p>\n

She spent 18 months appealing an adverse tenure decision, a process during which she lost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and struggled to eat or sleep. A university appeals board ultimately overturned the original decision, and she secured tenure.<\/p>\n

Now seeking promotion to full professor, Kim said she recognizes that publicly criticizing university leaders could again jeopardize her career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m speaking out publicly against this administration that may very well deny my promotion,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Kim said she has considered leaving Cornell many times over the years but is determined to stay and make the university safer for those who come after her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf by me fighting, it helps move the needle a little bit so that my female students aren\u2019t going through this in 10 years or my female colleagues aren\u2019t going through this in five years, then maybe it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Faculty members question whether Cornell can investigate itself<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anne Marie Brady, a senior extension associate at Cornell\u2019s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and another co-sponsor of the resolution, questioned whether Cornell University Police can independently investigate serious allegations of sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere doesn\u2019t seem to be independence between the administration and the Cornell Police Department,\u201d Brady said. She pointed to its handling of campus protests as one reason for her concerns and said serious criminal allegations should be investigated by outside law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n

Brady welcomed Kotlikoff\u2019s announcement that state police would take on a role in sexual assault investigations, saying it showed the administration was listening to faculty concerns. But she questioned the timing, a day before the Senate was scheduled to begin debating the no-confidence resolution.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy that they are listening \u2014 we need a dialogue,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need to debate and discuss this. But I also feel it\u2019s a bit disingenuous that it comes out just before the resolution.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Protesters listen to speakers at a rally in support of a former Cornell University student known as Jane Doe at the Ithaca Commons, Tuesday, in Ithaca, New York. The rally was organized by several survivor and activist groups to demand accountability regarding Jane Doe’s alleged gang rape she suffered at the Chi Phi fraternity house…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-korea","category-trending-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t