Cornell University’s Faculty Senate passed a 75-50 vote of no confidence on Friday, rebuking top administrators over their handling of an alleged 2024 fraternity gang rape and broader campus safety crises.
The electronic vote, which concluded after an eight-day online voting period, represents a stark divide at the Ivy League institution. Roughly 56% of the 135-member faculty body supported the resolution expressing no confidence in the central administration’s ability to address campus sexual assault, as reported by Bloomberg. While the measure is strictly symbolic and carries no legal weight to unseat administrators, it marks an unprecedented rebuke in the 56-year history of Cornell’s Faculty Senate. The body of professors and instructors approved the resolution, with 37% voting against the measure and 7.4% abstaining or not voting.
Fallout From the Jane Doe Lawsuit
The discontent stems from a lawsuit filed by a former student—identified in court records as Jane Doe—accusing members of the Chi Phi fraternity of sexual assault in 2024. All seven accused men have denied the allegations, maintaining the encounter was consensual or that they were not involved. The local district attorney initially declined to prosecute, concluding no crime occurred, but the investigation was later reopened and transferred to New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Cornell disciplined several of the accused students through Title IX proceedings. Two were expelled, two received suspensions with probation, and two were ordered to complete bystander training and write reflection papers.
the Jane Doe case is but a tip of the iceberg
Paul Ortiz, labor history professor who co-sponsored the no-confidence resolution
More than a dozen Faculty Senate members co-sponsored the resolution, while over 160 faculty members across the university expressed support. Labor history professor Paul Ortiz, who co-sponsored the no-confidence resolution, noted that hundreds of students, staff, alumni and faculty approached sponsors to emphasize that the Jane Doe case represented only a fraction of broader issues and that a veritable fortress of silence surrounding sexual violence had been breached.
Board of Trustees Backing and Administration Defense
Despite the faculty’s censure, Cornell leadership retains the full backing of the institution’s governing body. Anne Meinig Smalling, the chair of Cornell’s Board of Trustees, told Newsweek that the board remains confident in President Kotlikoff and his administration. Smalling noted that this trust is rooted in the leadership team’s track record of navigating complex institutional hurdles, including restoring federal funding, protecting free speech, and steering the university through the COVID-19 pandemic. Smalling added that the board viewed the faculty vote as a reflection of deep campus anger and a clear signal that the incident involving Jane Doe is unacceptable.
During debates with the Faculty Senate, Kotlikoff defended his tenure, arguing that replacing top leaders would do little to solve complex problems and could damage Cornell’s reputation. To evaluate institutional shortcomings, Cornell hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct an independent review of its sexual assault policies and past responses.
Fraternity Restrictions and Demands for Reform
The campus climate has remained volatile throughout the academic year, with students holding a series of protests, including a large sit-in October, and calling for Kotlikoff’s removal over concerns about the lack of transparency in the discipline process.
Thomas Giuffra, attorney for Jane Doe, stated that he hopes the decision serves as another step forward in educating the Cornell community and confronting the longstanding problem of campus sexual assault.
Cornell's Faculty Senate approved a resolution expressing no confidence in the university's central administration and in its president Michael Kotlikoff over the school's handling of alleged sexual assault on campus. https://t.co/8gmrSXFTKK
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