Cornell Faculty Vote on President Kotlikoff Following Fraternity Rape Case

Seven men are accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting or exploiting a student at a Cornell University fraternity house in October 2024. The number of alleged perpetrators has become the central point of a no-confidence resolution that faculty will vote on this week. The university’s administration faces a formal challenge over how it handled the complaint and the subsequent criminal investigation.

The resolution targets President Michael Kotlikoff’s leadership. Faculty members will meet Wednesday to end the debate and launch the voting process. This follows a tense Oct. 14 session of the Faculty Senate where members confronted the president. The meeting was closed to the media, but an audio recording obtained by The Associated Press reveals Kotlikoff acknowledging administrative missteps while defending his tenure.

Kotlikoff stated he had not read the Cornell Police Department’s report on the allegations because the investigation was confidential. He explained that university policy generally keeps top administrators out of criminal matters. "I really reject the idea that I had no interest in it or was not concerned about it," he told the group. He argued that replacing a president would harm the university's reputation and asked for more time to implement cultural changes in student social life.

The legal dispute involves a woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe. She filed suit last month, claiming seven Chi Phi fraternity members assaulted her and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. All seven men have denied the allegations. The local district attorney had declined to pursue criminal charges, and Kotlikoff admitted he did not follow up with the police department to learn the outcome of the case.

Faculty members also raised concerns about a disciplined student returning to campus. Specifically, they questioned why he was assigned to a shared dorm room with a roommate who did not know his disciplinary history. Several speakers told Kotlikoff they had lost confidence in the administration's ability to combat sexual assault. Some warned that a quick vote might not fix the underlying systemic issues.

Electronic voting will open after Wednesday's meeting and remain active through Nov. 6. The session begins at 3:30 p.m. and will be closed to the public and media. Individual votes are anonymous. A no-confidence vote is largely symbolic but could pressure the university's trustees, who have final authority over university leadership.

Kotlikoff became interim president in July 2024 and took the role permanently last year. His tenure has included a workers strike, a $60 million settlement with the Trump administration over civil rights investigations, and criticism from activists who say his administration limited campus protests.