In the quiet machinery of an institution that has long promised safety to its students, a faculty body has now said plainly that it no longer trusts those at the top to face a painful truth. Cornell's senate, made up of academic staff who can criticise but not remove, has voted against its central administration over sexual assault, a crisis that the lawsuit of one former student has brought into sharp view. The board that holds the power to dismiss the president has chosen to stand by him, and the question of whether the failures of one night in 2024 will be judged by courts, reviews, or simp
Cornell faculty pass no-confidence vote over leadership's handling of sexual assault allegations
A former Cornell student, Jane Doe, alleges she was gang raped at a Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024; all seven accused deny wrongdoing and none has been charged.
A rebuke from the faculty, but no power to remove anyone
Mark
Why does a vote that can't remove anyone matter?
Mimi
Because it puts the faculty's judgment on the record, 75 to 50. It's a public signal from the people who teach there, and the trustees' own chair said it reflects deep anger on campus.
Luke
Worth noting that 50 voted against. It's a clear majority, not a unanimous one, and the resolution doesn't say why anyone voted as they did.
Mark
Does it say what the administration got wrong?
Mimi
No. It makes no specific recommendations and doesn't name failures in Jane Doe's case. It speaks to the broader crisis.
Luke
So the vote is a statement of lost confidence, not a finding of fault. Those are different things.
Mark
What about the allegation against President Kotlikoff?
Mimi
Doe says he asked why she waited several weeks to report. Cornell says her account is incorrect.
Luke
That's a dispute, and the reporting can't settle it. Same with the underlying allegations: all seven accused deny wrongdoing, nobody has been charged, and the local prosecutor declined to bring charges earlier.
Mark
So what could actually change things?
Mimi
The trustees can fire him, and they've said they back him. Then there's the independent review and the Attorney General's investigation.
Luke
Neither has reported anything yet, so how this ends is unknown.
El Pulso
- A faculty senate has voted 75 to 50 that it has no confidence in the central administration's handling of sexual assault at Cornell.
- A former student's lawsuit alleges she was gang raped at a Chi Phi fraternity house, and seven men accused of the assault deny wrongdoing.
- Cornell has admitted it fell short in her case after first defending its disciplinary response, unsettling a campus already angry and divided.
- An independent review led by a former attorney general, state prosecutors' investigation and new fraternity restrictions are all being pursued, yet none has yet produced a verdict.
- The trustees, who alone can fire President Kotlikoff, have publicly backed him, leaving the outcome of the standoff unsettled.
In the quiet machinery of an institution that has long promised safety to its students, a faculty body has now said plainly that it no longer trusts those at the top to face a painful truth. Cornell's senate, made up of academic staff who can criticise but not remove, has voted against its central administration over sexual assault, a crisis that the lawsuit of one former student has brought into sharp view. The board that holds the power to dismiss the president has chosen to stand by him, and the question of whether the failures of one night in 2024 will be judged by courts, reviews, or simply by time is still unanswered.
On a Friday, Cornell University's faculty senate voted 75 to 50 that it had no confidence in the central administration's ability to deal with what its members called an ongoing crisis of sexual assault on campus. The resolution is largely symbolic. The senate has no power to remove the leaders it criticises, and it offers no specific recommendations or account of what administrators did wrong.
The vote follows a lawsuit filed in September by a former student known as Jane Doe, who alleges she was gang raped by several men at a Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. She is suing both the university and the fraternity. All seven accused men deny wrongdoing, and none has been charged with a crime. Doe has also accused President Michael Kotlikoff of questioning why she waited several weeks to report, a claim the university disputes.
The board of trustees, which can fire the president, has taken a different view. It said it remains confident in Kotlikoff and his administration, and its chair described the faculty vote as a sign of deep anger across campus that makes clear what happened to Doe is unacceptable.
Cornell first defended its disciplinary measures before acknowledging it fell short in her case. It has hired a former attorney general to lead an independent review and has announced new measures, including cancelling fraternity parties. New York's attorney general is investigating whether criminal charges are warranted, and the governor has ordered state police to look into any future complaints at the university. The independent review, the prosecutors' decision and the trustees' support for the president are the things to watch.
On Friday, Cornell University's faculty senate voted 75 to 50 to declare that it has no confidence in the central administration's ability to deal with what members called an ongoing crisis of sexual assault on campus. The resolution is largely symbolic. The senate represents academic staff, and it has no power to remove the people it is criticizing.
The vote follows a lawsuit filed in September by a former student known only as Jane Doe. She is suing both Cornell and the Chi Phi fraternity over an alleged incident in October 2024, in which she says she was gang raped by several men at the fraternity house. Seven men are accused. When contacted by CBS, the BBC's US partner, all seven denied wrongdoing. None has been charged with a crime.
The resolution says the senate "has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University." It stops there. It makes no specific recommendations and does not say what administrators did wrong in responding to the accusation.
Still, it is a pointed rebuke of university leaders, including President Michael Kotlikoff. Doe has accused him of asking why she waited several weeks to report what happened. The university has said her account of his reaction is incorrect.
Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said in a statement that the firm had recently learned of the senate's finding. He said he believes the senate did not reach its decision lightly and considered all available information. He added that he hopes the vote will be another step toward educating and supporting the Cornell community by addressing what he called the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus.
The body that can actually fire Kotlikoff is the board of trustees, and it has taken a different view. In a statement, the board said it "remains confident" that he and his administration are the right leaders to address the problem thoughtfully and comprehensively. Board chairwoman Anne Meinig Smalling said that confidence rests on the administration's actions so far, its plans going forward, and its track record of navigating complex problems. She also said the no-confidence vote reflects deep anger across campus and sends a clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable.
Backlash against the Ivy League school in upstate New York has been intense since the lawsuit was filed. Doe reported the alleged assault to campus police after it happened, but the local prosecutor declined to bring charges at the time. Cornell first defended its disciplinary measures, then acknowledged it fell short in handling her case. It has hired a former attorney general to conduct an independent review, and it recently announced a series of new measures, including the cancellation of fraternity parties.
Outside pressure is building as well. New York state prosecutors, led by Attorney General Letitia James, are conducting their own investigation to decide whether criminal charges are warranted. Earlier this week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that state police will investigate any future sexual offence complaints at the university.
What to watch now: the findings of the independent review, the state prosecutors' decision on charges, and whether the trustees' backing of Kotlikoff holds.
Citas Notables
The board remains confident that Kotlikoff and his administration are the right leaders to address sexual assault on campus.— Cornell board of trustees statement
The vote reflects the deep anger across our campus and sends a clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable.— Anne Meinig Smalling, trustees board chairwoman
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Politics & Governance