Cornell Faculty Senate votes no confidence in leadership over alleged fraternity gang rape case

The Story

Cornell University’s Faculty Senate approved a resolution on Friday declaring “no confidence” in the university’s top leaders, including President Michael Kotlikoff, a symbolic vote reflecting dissatisfaction following a lawsuit by a former student alleging she was gang raped at a fraternity party in 2024.

The resolution passed 75–50, with five faculty senators abstaining and five others not voting, according to an email sent to Faculty Senate members on Friday afternoon.

While the faculty body does not have formal power over the university’s top leaders, supporters of the resolution said they hoped it would pressure Cornell’s trustees to address what they described as ongoing institutional failures related to sexual misconduct.

Cornell’s board of trustees said the vote reflected deep anger on campus and sent a “clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable,” adding that Kotlikoff and his administration are the right leaders to “thoughtfully and comprehensively” address the issue. Board chair Anne Smalling said the board “fully supports President Kotlikoff and his administration” and pointed to expanded sexual assault prevention education, additional victim advocates, and staffing increases at the university’s Office of Civil Rights as part of the response.

The university’s community has been in distress since mid-September, when the former student filed suit against Cornell and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The lawsuit says she was given ketamine and raped at a fraternity house in October 2024.

All of the men denied the allegations, saying either that the sex was consensual or that they were not involved. The local district attorney initially decided there had been consent and that no crime was committed, but the investigation has since been reopened and handed to New York’s attorney general.

Cornell disciplined several students following a months-long Title IX investigation. The school expelled two people, issued suspensions and probation to two, and required two others to write “reflection” papers and complete bystander training. A seventh man had already graduated and was barred from campus, according to records referenced in the supplied material.

In addition to disciplinary actions, Kotlikoff convened a task force to study sexual misconduct on campus, which released certain recommendations.

Kotlikoff pledged during the first day of Faculty Senate debate to make Cornell a leader in addressing sexual assault, while also saying he needed more time to make changes. He defended his leadership by saying replacing him would not solve complex problems and could harm Cornell’s reputation.

According to the supplied material, Kotlikoff said he had not read the campus police report because university policy barred top administrators from interfering in criminal investigations. He also rejected suggestions he had been indifferent to the student’s case, acknowledging he had not known until recently that she left Cornell.

Kotlikoff said the university needs to determine whether fraternities can operate safely and left open the possibility of sweeping restrictions on Greek life, arguing that decisions should be based on research and evidence rather than emotion.

Some faculty members urged patience and said faculty should wait for the release of an independent investigation by former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, which the university hired to examine how Cornell responded to the student’s initial rape report in 2024 and its overall procedures for handling similar reports.

The no-confidence resolution did not call for Kotlikoff’s resignation.

Paul Ortiz, a labor history professor who co-sponsored the resolution, said last week that hundreds of students, staff, alumni and faculty approached the sponsors to emphasize that “the Jane Doe case is but a tip of the iceberg” and that “a veritable fortress of silence has been breached” around sexual violence since the resolution’s introduction.