Cornell University's Faculty Senate has passed a symbolic resolution declaring no confidence in President Michael Kotlikoff and the university's top leaders, after weeks of campus debate over the administration's handling of a former student's lawsuit alleging she was gang raped at a fraternity party in 2024.
The resolution passed 75-50, with five faculty senators abstaining and five not voting, according to an email sent to members of the Faculty Senate. The vote does not remove Kotlikoff or other administrators; supporters said they hoped it would pressure the Board of Trustees to address institutional failures they had identified.
The Cornell community has been in a state of distress since mid-September, when a former student sued the university and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity, saying she was given ketamine and raped at a fraternity house in October 2024. The accused men have denied the allegations, saying either the sex was consensual or they were not involved. A local district attorney initially decided the woman had consented and that no crime had been committed, but the investigation has since been reopened and handed to New York's attorney-general.
Board of Trustees Chair Anne Smalling said the vote "reflects the deep anger across our campus" and sent a clear signal that what happened to the woman was unacceptable, but she said Kotlikoff and his administration were the right leaders to "thoughtfully and comprehensively" address the issue. Thomas Giuffra, a lawyer for the woman, said: "We are hopeful that this will be yet another step forward to educate and support the Cornell community by addressing the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus."
Cornell disciplined several of the accused students after a month-long Title IX investigation: two were expelled, two received suspensions and probation, and two were required to write "reflection" papers and complete bystander training. A seventh had already graduated and was barred from campus, according to records obtained by The New York Times. Kotlikoff also convened a task force on sexual misconduct, which released recommendations.
Some faculty have been furious with Kotlikoff for not acting more forcefully to strengthen the disciplinary process, push for criminal investigations and change campus party culture. Paul Ortiz, a labour history professor who co-sponsored the no-confidence resolution, said last week that hundreds of students, staff, alumni and faculty approached the sponsors to emphasise 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.
Speaking to senators on the first day of debate, Kotlikoff pledged to make the university a leader in addressing sexual assault and asked for time to make more changes. He argued that replacing him would do little to solve complex problems and could damage Cornell's reputation. He acknowledged he had not read the campus police report, explaining that university policy barred top administrators from interfering in criminal investigations, and rejected suggestions he had been indifferent, though he acknowledged he had not known until recently that the woman had left Cornell. He said the university needed to determine whether fraternities could operate safely and left open the possibility of sweeping restrictions on fraternity life.
Some professors urged patience, saying faculty should wait for an independent investigation by former US Deputy Attorney-General Sally Yates, whom the university hired to examine both its response to the woman's 2024 report and its overall procedures for handling similar reports. The no-confidence resolution did not call for Kotlikoff's resignation.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The no-confidence vote is symbolic but signals the depth of campus anger over how sexual assault allegations were handled, and adds pressure on Cornell's trustees.
- The case focuses national attention on how universities balance Title IX disciplinary processes, criminal investigations and fraternity culture.
- A reopened criminal investigation by New York's attorney-general and an independent review of university procedures will determine whether institutional change follows.
Background
Cornell is a private Ivy League university in Ithaca, New York. The current controversy began with a lawsuit filed in September, and the case has drawn widespread attention to how the university responds to sexual misconduct reports. It comes amid broader national scrutiny of campus sexual assault and of the role of fraternities in American university life.
Key Perspectives
- Faculty Senate: passed the no-confidence resolution 75-50 as a symbolic gesture, with supporters hoping it would pressure trustees to address institutional failures.
- Board of Trustees Chair Anne Smalling: said the vote "reflects the deep anger across our campus" while insisting Kotlikoff and his administration were the right leaders for the task.
- Woman's lawyer Thomas Giuffra: called the vote "yet another step forward" in addressing "the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus."
- President Michael Kotlikoff: defended his leadership, argued that replacing him could damage Cornell's reputation, and asked for time to make changes.
- Some professors: urged patience until an independent investigation led by former Deputy Attorney-General Sally Yates is released.
What to Watch
- Release of Sally Yates's independent investigation into the university's handling of sexual misconduct reports.
- Whether the Board of Trustees acts on the no-confidence vote or signals any change in leadership.
- The reopened criminal investigation now in the hands of New York's attorney-general.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedAnne Smalling said the vote “reflects the deep anger across our campus.”Just In: “Board of Trustees Chair Anne Smalling said the faculty vote "reflects the deep anger across our campus"”
- SupportedSmalling said Kotlikoff and his administration were the right leaders to “thoughtfully and comprehensively” address the issue.Just In: “Mr Kotlikoff and his administration were the right leaders to "thoughtfully and comprehensively" address the issue.”
- SupportedThomas Giuffra said the vote could be a step towards educating and supporting the Cornell community and addressing sexual assault on campus.Just In: “Thomas Giuffra, a lawyer for the woman who filed the lawsuit, said: "We are hopeful that this will be yet another step forward to educate and support the Cornell community by addressing the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus."”
- SupportedPaul Ortiz said the Jane Doe case was “but a tip of the iceberg” and that “a veritable fortress of silence has been breached” around sexual violence.Just In: “to emphasise 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.”
- SupportedCornell’s Faculty Senate passed a no-confidence resolution against university leadership after a former student’s lawsuit alleging gang rape.Just In: “Cornell University's Faculty Senate has approved a resolution declaring "no confidence" in the institution's top leaders. The symbolic gesture, voted on Friday, local time, reflects a deep discontent on campus in the wake of a former student's lawsuit saying she was gang raped at a fraternity party in 2024.”
- SupportedThe symbolic resolution passed 75-50, with five senators abstaining and five not voting.Just In: “The resolution passed 75-50, with five faculty senators abstaining and five others not voting, according to an email sent to members of the Faculty Senate.”
- SupportedThe lawsuit was filed by a former student against Cornell and seven former Chi Phi members.Just In: “a former student filed a lawsuit against the university and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity”
- SupportedThe former student’s lawsuit said she was given ketamine and raped at a fraternity house in October 2024.Just In: “saying she was given ketamine and raped at a fraternity house in October 2024.”
- SupportedThe accused men denied the allegations, saying either the sex was consensual or they were not involved.Just In: “All of those men have denied her allegations, saying either the sex was consensual or they weren't involved.”
- SupportedThe local district attorney initially decided the woman had consented and that no crime had been committed; the investigation was later reopened and handed to New York’s attorney-general.Just In: “The local district attorney initially decided the woman had consented to the encounter, and that no crime had been committed, but the investigation has since been reopened and handed to New York's attorney-general.”
- SupportedCornell expelled two accused students, suspended two and placed them on probation, and required two others to write reflection papers and complete bystander training.Just In: “Two were expelled, two received suspensions and probation, and two were required to write "reflection" papers and complete bystander training.”
- SupportedThe no-confidence resolution did not call for Kotlikoff’s resignation.Just In: “The no-confidence resolution did not call for Mr Kotlikoff's resignation.”