Cornell Faculty Vote No-Confidence Over Gang Rape Mishandling at Fraternity
Cornell faculty are voting on a no-confidence resolution against President Kotlikoff over the university's response to a 2024 gang rape report at a campus fraternity house.
Cornell Faculty Cast No-Confidence Votes Against President Over Fraternity Rape Case
Cornell University faculty began voting Wednesday on a no-confidence resolution targeting the university's administration, according to ABC News US, following widespread anger over its response to a woman who reported she was gang raped at a campus fraternity house in 2024.
The vote follows an Oct. 14 Faculty Senate meeting at which faculty members confronted President Michael Kotlikoff directly over the university's handling of the allegations. That session was closed to the media, but an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press captured Kotlikoff acknowledging some missteps while defending his leadership and requesting more time to implement reforms and push for cultural change in student social life.
A woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last month alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. All seven men have denied the allegations.
The criminal investigation by Cornell's police department stalled after the local district attorney declined to pursue charges. In a subsequent interview with The New York Times, Kotlikoff acknowledged he never followed up to learn what had happened either to the woman or to the investigation. When asked by a faculty member whether he had read the Cornell Police Department's report on the rape allegations, Kotlikoff said he had not, citing university policy that top administrators should not have a role in criminal investigations.
"I really reject the idea that I had no interest in it or was not concerned about it," Kotlikoff said.
Kotlikoff told faculty that replacing a president would harm Cornell's reputation and that experienced leadership was necessary to confront the institution's problems. He pointed to an independent investigation into the university's handling of the case, which he said could lead to meaningful reforms.
Faculty members also raised concerns about the university's handling of a disciplined student's return to campus, including his placement in a shared dormitory room with a roommate who had no knowledge of the student's disciplinary history.
After Kotlikoff left the meeting, multiple faculty speakers said they had lost confidence in the administration's ability to combat sexual assault on campus. Some Faculty Senate members cautioned, however, that a hasty no-confidence vote would do little to address the underlying problems.
Wednesday's meeting began at 3:30 p.m. and was closed to the public and media. Electronic voting opened afterward and will remain open through November 6; individual votes are anonymous.
A no-confidence vote carries no binding authority but could send a significant signal to the university's board of trustees, who ultimately hold the power to determine institutional leadership. Kotlikoff became Cornell's interim president in July 2024 and was appointed permanently last year. His tenure has also been marked by a dining and custodial workers strike, criticism over a $60 million settlement with the Trump administration over civil rights investigations, and accusations from activists that his administration suppressed campus protests.
Source: ABC News US