Cornell Tightens Fraternity Rules After Assault Allegations

Cornell University has suspended parties at fraternity houses through the end of the 2026/27 academic year following allegations that a woman was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. The university announced the measures amid widespread criticism of its handling of the case, including criticism of the decision by the Tompkins County district attorney not to file criminal charges. Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said the suspension would give the university time to review fraternity life and determine how it can continue safely. The university also plans to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy under which violations could lead to an immediate suspension of a fraternity chapter. It is unclear whether the ban applies to parties held off campus. Cornell will consult students and faculty experts about safer social alternatives to Greek-life parties and invest in establishing those alternatives. It will also add a case manager to its Office of Civil Rights to help people reporting sexual misconduct navigate the process. The initial investigation was conducted by Cornell’s campus police, which has law-enforcement authority, before its findings were sent to the county district attorney. The woman later filed a lawsuit alleging that she was drugged and assaulted after attending a party at the Chi Phi house, and that fraternity members circulated messages describing her as sexually available without her knowledge. The university closed the fraternity chapter and disciplined several students. The seven men named in the lawsuit have denied the allegations, and no criminal charges were filed. After the case became public and prompted protests and broad criticism, New York Attorney General Letitia James took over the investigation. Cornell’s response is also to be reviewed by former Deputy US Attorney General Sally Yates. The article describes the university’s policy changes and support measures alongside the continuing legal and investigative response, while noting that the allegations remain contested.

Cornell University will prohibit parties and other social events at fraternity houses through the end of the academic year, according to university president Michael Kotlikoff. The decision follows public outcry over an alleged gang rape on campus in 2024 and represents the strongest response Cornell’s leadership has taken so far to the allegations, the report says. The allegations are the subject of a lawsuit filed by a former undergraduate identified as Jane Doe. She alleges that seven men sexually assaulted her during a party. The article presents these claims as allegations and does not report a court finding or describe the defendants’ responses. In the weeks before the announcement, Cornell and Kotlikoff had faced heavy criticism over how the university handled the allegations. The temporary ban is a response to that controversy, but the report does not provide further details about how the restriction will be enforced, whether exceptions will be permitted, or what other steps the university may take. It also does not say whether the ban changes any university policies beyond fraternity-house parties and social events. The report is a brief account of the university’s decision and the circumstances prompting it. Its focus is on the measure, the lawsuit’s central allegation, and the criticism directed at Cornell’s leadership. It does not establish the truth of the alleged assault or provide additional information about the legal proceedings.

Cornell University president Michael Kotlikoff said on Oct. 13 that he was “personally sorry” after learning that a student had reported being gang-raped at a fraternity party. He said he learned of the report shortly after the student first came forward in November 2024, but did not follow up with her in the ensuing months or seek to find out whether the accused men had faced consequences. He also did not know that the student later left the university. The case involves a lawsuit against seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity and has provoked anger on campus. Cornell’s handling of the Title IX case and the administration’s response have drawn criticism, while a no-confidence vote in the president appears likely. Kotlikoff’s acknowledgment of his failure to follow up comes amid questions about leadership and student trust. Cornell has announced several actions in response: fraternity-house parties are banned for the rest of the year, additional sexual-assault investigators have been added, and former US deputy attorney general Sally Yates has been appointed to lead an independent review and recommend reforms. The available article text does not provide further detail about the lawsuit, the university’s investigative process, or the review’s schedule and scope. Its central focus is the president’s admission of inaction and the wider institutional response to the reported assault and resulting campus concerns.