What we know
What we know: Cornell faculty vote ‘no confidence’ in university leadership after alleged fraternity gang rape
Compiled Nov 6
What we know
- Cornell's Faculty Senate voted 75-50 (with 5 abstentions and 5 not voting) to declare 'no confidence' in university leadership.
- The vote followed a lawsuit filed by a former student alleging she was gang raped at a Chi Phi fraternity party in October 2024.
- The Faculty Senate has no formal power over Cornell's top leaders; the resolution was symbolic.
- Cornell disciplined several accused students after a Title IX investigation: two were expelled, two suspended and put on probation, and two required to write reflection papers and complete bystander training; a seventh was barred from campus.
- President Kotlikoff convened a task force to study sexual misconduct on campus, which released some recommendations.
- The no-confidence resolution did not call for Kotlikoff's resignation.
What we don’t know yet
- The local district attorney's investigation was reopened and handed to New York's attorney general, with no outcome reported.
- The accused men have denied the allegations, some saying sex was consensual and others saying they weren't involved.
- An independent investigation by Sally Yates into Cornell's handling of the case has not yet been released.
- Whether fraternities can operate safely at Cornell remains undetermined, according to Kotlikoff.
Open questions
- What will Sally Yates's independent investigation conclude about Cornell's handling of the case?
- Will the New York attorney general's reopened investigation lead to criminal charges?
- Will Cornell impose new restrictions on fraternities or Greek life?
- How will Cornell's trustees respond to the faculty's no-confidence vote?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.