Cornell president calls out ‘party culture’ after alleged gang rape
Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff addressed a disturbing rape allegation involving a former student, Jane Doe, at a fraternity house in 2024. He emphasized concerns about the school’s party culture and pledged to review Greek life on campus, highlighting the need for accountability. Kotlikoff expressed support for the state’s examination, which was taken over by Attorney General Letitia James, and welcomed an independant review of how the university handled the case. He condemned sexual assault, dehumanization, and harmful party behaviors, and committed to improving prevention, mental health, and investigative procedures. kotlikoff also called for a careful examination of fraternity and sorority organizations, advocating for individual duty alongside group membership. He assured the community of ongoing efforts to reform and increase transparency, emphasizing that Cornell must lead in addressing these critical issues to protect students and support survivors.
Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house exposed troubling questions about the school’s “party culture” and pledged to examine the role of Greek life on campus as New York officials take over the criminal investigation.
Kotlikoff addressed the allegations involving a former student, identified as Jane Doe, in an eight-minute message to the Cornell community Saturday, calling the 2024 incident “deeply disturbing” and acknowledging criticism of how the university handled the case.
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“What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come,” Kotlikoff said. “My heart aches when I think of what she experienced. It raises heartbreaking and troubling issues about sexual assault, dehumanization, and aspects of party culture, alcohol, and drug use. It also raises questions around the investigations conducted after the allegations were reported.”
Kotlikoff said he supports Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D-NY) decision to turn the criminal investigation over to state Attorney General Letitia James. He also welcomed an independent review by an outside law firm into Cornell’s handling of the allegations, which the university’s board of trustees is expected to announce next week.
Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor Thursday after saying she had lost confidence in Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, who decided not to prosecute the case in 2024. Van Houten revived the case on Monday based on new evidence filed by the alleged sexual assault victim.
Van Houten reopened the case after Doe filed a lawsuit alleging seven then-members of Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her at the fraternity house in October 2024. No criminal charges were filed following the original investigation.
Kotlikoff said Cornell would not wait for the outside investigations to conclude before making changes, pointing to possible improvements in sexual assault prevention, mental health and substance-use resources, and the university’s investigative procedures.
He also said the university should take a “serious look” at fraternities and sororities.
“At their best, these organizations can provide students with friendship, belonging, mentorship, and a powerful sense of community,” Kotlikoff said. “But being part of a group can never diminish individual responsibility for our own actions, for how we treat others, for speaking up when someone may be at risk.”
Kotlikoff also affirmed his support for Hochul’s mission to strengthen the laws that govern how colleges and universities handle sexual assault reporting and investigations.
Additionally, Kotlikoff acknowledged the public frustration over Cornell’s response, saying legal and privacy restrictions limit what officials can disclose but promising the university would make a greater effort to explain its actions.
A TIMELINE OF JANE DOE’S ALLEGATIONS OF CORNELL GANG RAPE
“You have my commitment that this will not be a moment that passes,” he said. “We will continue taking every step necessary to make Cornell an institution that leads not just in what we say about these issues, but in the work that we do to address them. We are listening. We are learning. We are committed to communicating more openly.
“This is a defining moment in Cordell’s history. We must be the way. We owe it to Jane Doe and to survivors of assault to get this right, and we must keep each other safe.”
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