Cornell University’s Faculty Senate passed a 75-50 vote of no confidence in the central administration on Friday, rebuking campus leaders over their handling of sexual assault allegations.
A total of 55.6% of the 135 senators voting in favor voted for the symbolic resolution, 37% voting against, and 7.4% not voting, according to an email sent to The Sun by a University spokesperson. The measure declares that the faculty lacks faith in the central administration’s capacity to properly manage the ongoing sexual assault crisis at Cornell University. While the faculty senate lacks the authority to remove university leaders, the vote marks an escalation of campus tension following a September civil lawsuit filed by a former student.
Lawsuit and Disciplinary Fallout Drive Faculty Revolt
A former student, identified anonymously as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit in September alleging she was given ketamine and gang-raped by members of the Chi Phi fraternity at the fraternity house on October 19, 2024, as reported by WFLX. All seven accused men have denied wrongdoing, and none have been charged criminally in connection with the initial incident.
Cornell conducted a separate Title IX investigation and imposed disciplinary sanctions, including expulsions and suspensions, and closed the Chi Phi chapter, which remains barred from campus, according to The Edu Ledger.
Cornell's Faculty Senate approved a resolution expressing no confidence in the university's central administration and in its president Michael Kotlikoff over the school's handling of alleged sexual assault on campus. https://t.co/8gmrSXFTKK
Industrial and labor relations professor Paul Ortiz co-sponsored the resolution alongside 11 colleagues and 165 supporting faculty signatures. He told The Cornell Sun that the Jane Doe case is but a tip of the iceberg
and that a veritable fortress of silence has been breached
regarding campus sexual violence. Supporters of the measure pointed to a campus survey revealing that 35% of undergraduate women and 52% of women involved in Greek life at Cornell had experienced sexual assault.
President Kotlikoff Defends Leadership as Trustees Maintain Support
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff addressed the Faculty Senate during debates preceding the vote, defending his administration and asking for time to make more changes while arguing that replacing him would do little to solve complex problems, according to coverage by Bloomberg and the Associated Press. Kotlikoff acknowledged not reading the initial campus police report due to university policies barring top administrators from interfering in active criminal inquiries, and he disputed claims that he displayed indifference toward the survivor.
Doe stated she felt unsupported and disbelieved
after a sorority leader relayed that Kotlikoff had questioned why she waited to report the assault, according to an October 14 letter to faculty leaders first reported by The New York Times. The Cornell Board of Trustees swiftly reaffirmed its backing of the administration following Friday’s vote. Anne Smalling ’87, the chair of the board, communicated to The Sun that the Board of Trustees retains its full confidence in Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff.
Independent Reviews and External Investigations Proceed
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to file criminal charges after a November 2024 police report, but he subsequently reopened the investigation and referred the matter to New York Attorney General Letitia James following the filing of the civil lawsuit. State prosecutors in New York, headed by Attorney General Letitia James, are conducting an independent inquiry to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate, and Governor Kathy Hochul announced that state police will handle any future sexual offense reports originating from the university.
Cornell has hired former Deputy U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review both the institution’s initial handling of the woman’s 2024 rape complaint and its general protocols for processing analogous allegations from other students. Legal counsel for Jane Doe voiced encouragement regarding the faculty’s decision, with attorney Thomas Giuffra declaring in a statement, We are hopeful that this will be yet another step forward to educate and support the Cornell community by addressing the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus.
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