Cornell faculty prepare no-confidence vote over handling of fraternity rape case

Cornell University's Faculty Senate is preparing to vote on a no-confidence resolution against the school's administration over how it handled a 2024 allegation that a student was gang-raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house, according to CNN.

The vote is expected when the full Faculty Senate meets on Oct. 14. Professor Paul Ortiz, who supports the resolution, told CNN that about 40 of the senate's more than 75 voting members have said they back it.

## What the resolution is about

The resolution was submitted Monday evening and will be reviewed by a committee before it goes on the Oct. 14 agenda, CNN reported. It targets the university administration's response to the case of a former student identified in court papers as Jane Doe.

"The faculty have been approached by hundreds of students, alumni, staff who are demanding that we do something," Ortiz told CNN.

A no-confidence vote is symbolic. It does not remove anyone from office, but it signals that a large share of the faculty has lost trust in the school's leaders.

## Pressure on campus

The move follows days of protest. Hundreds of people rallied on campus Monday night, chanting "shame" and "resign," according to CNN, and organizers have planned a seven-hour sit-in for Wednesday.

Cornell police are also investigating vandalism at Day Hall, the university's main administration building, where a glass door was broken and graffiti was sprayed, according to CNY Central.

## What Cornell says

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff released a video statement Saturday calling the allegations "deeply disturbing" and saying the university's response had created distrust, CNY Central reported. "Cornell needs to be more transparent about what happened after the allegations were reported," he said.

Kotlikoff told students "we're not hiding anything at Cornell," according to Fox News, and has rejected calls to resign. He has said he supports New York Attorney General Letitia James taking over the criminal investigation and backs an independent review of the university's handling of the case by an outside law firm.

## The other side

The seven former fraternity members named in Doe's civil lawsuit deny wrongdoing, and no one has been criminally charged, Fox News reported. One of the accused students has hired defense attorney Teny Geragos, according to CNN.

Fox News also reported that the original district attorney has pointed to a sworn statement Doe gave in November 2024 that described her drug use and sexual activity as "voluntary, conscious, and consensual," which differs from the account in her lawsuit. Doe's lawsuit alleges she was pressured into taking drugs and then assaulted.

## How the case got here

Doe sued Cornell, the Chi Phi fraternity, seven former members and others last month, alleging the university failed to protect her and did not adequately punish the accused students. After the lawsuit, the Tompkins County district attorney reopened the case. Gov. Kathy Hochul then appointed Attorney General James as special prosecutor, taking the case from the local office.

The case has also renewed debate over New York's rape law. Under current law, a person who voluntarily drank or took drugs is not considered legally incapacitated, a rule critics call the "voluntary intoxication loophole," according to the Associated Press. New York is one of 19 states with similar restrictions, AP reported.

## What happens next

The Faculty Senate is scheduled to take up the resolution on Oct. 14. Cornell's Board of Trustees was expected to share details about the independent review this week, CNY Central reported. The attorney general's office has said it will "review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions."

For students, the outcome could shape how Cornell and other schools handle sexual assault reports, from campus police procedures to how fraternities are disciplined.