Local Politics · Ithaca, NY
Cornell Faculty Begin No-Confidence Vote Wednesday; Ballots Open Through Nov. 6
Cornell University faculty are meeting Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. to vote on a no-confidence resolution regarding the administration's handling of a 2024 gang rape allegation at a campus fraternity house. The vote follows an Oct. 14 Faculty Senate meeting where members confronted President Michael Kotlikoff, who acknowledged he never read the police report or followed up on the criminal investigation. A woman identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints; all seven men have denied the allegations. The criminal investigation stalled after the local district attorney declined to pursue charges. Electronic voting will remain open through Nov. 6; while largely symbolic, the vote could influence trustees who decide university leadership.