Historia
13 de oct de 2026
Left-wing says Cornell’s fraternity ban exposes failures in assault response
Cornell has suspended fraternity parties and expanded outside investigative support after criticism of its response to a 2024 alleged sexual assault. The university presents the move as a safety review, while the plaintiff’s side says reforms came too late for her.
Cornell University has halted fraternity-house parties and other social gatherings through the end of the academic year, placing campus safety concerns at the centre of renewed scrutiny over its handling of a 2024 alleged sexual assault.
University president Michael Kotlikoff said the restrictions are intended to create room for a broader examination of fraternity life. “These measures will provide time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue,” he wrote, warning that chapters violating the policy face immediate emergency suspension.1
Cornell is also pledging more support for people reporting sexual misconduct, including an additional case manager in its civil-rights office. It says trauma-informed New York State Police investigators, rather than campus police alone, will be able to investigate sexual-assault allegations when survivors seek criminal action.1
The measures follow a civil lawsuit brought by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who alleges that several men assaulted her at a Chi Phi fraternity house after she arrived intoxicated while looking for a friend. The case intensified criticism because, according to reporting on the internal response, two accused students were expelled while others returned after measures including an essay, workshop or brief suspension; no one was arrested or charged locally.1
Kotlikoff acknowledged the institutional concern more directly in a separate statement: “It is clear that women on our campus continue to question whether they are safe. We must meet this moment by acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action.”2
For Doe’s lawyer, the announcement is a partial but belated response. Thomas Giuffra said the lawsuit sought to improve Cornell’s handling of abuse claims, but added that the new steps were “too late to protect Ms. Doe.”2 New York Governor Kathy Hochul has meanwhile appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to review the case, reflecting continuing doubts about the earlier local response.1