Cornell President Faces Faculty No-Confidence Vote Amid Sexual Assault Crisis

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff is facing one of the most difficult periods of his more than 25 years at the Ivy League institution. More than 70,000 alumni signed a petition pledging to withhold donations after allegations of a gang rape at a fraternity house sparked national outrage. The allegations were outlined in a lawsuit filed last month against the university and seven men.

Faculty senators recently questioned Kotlikoff during a meeting while considering a vote of no confidence in his administration. They asked why reports of sexual assault have increased on campus recently. Psychology professor Corinna Loeckenhoff told Kotlikoff at an October 14 meeting that housing officials left a disciplined student in a shared room for two weeks after a lawsuit was filed.

Loeckenhoff said the student returned to campus this fall after a three-semester suspension and was placed in a co-ed dorm with a roommate unaware of his past. She described the situation as a clear security risk and questioned why Housing Services was not aware of the student's record. Cornell students shared the accused student's name and dorm location on social media.

The woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, said she was given ketamine and raped at a fraternity house in 2024. All seven men have denied the allegations, claiming the sex was consensual or they were not involved. The local district attorney initially decided no crime had been committed, but the investigation has since been reopened and handed to New York's attorney general.

Kotlikoff delivered his State of the University address the day after the faculty meeting, saying the university must do better. He called it the beginning of the defining effort of the rest of his presidency. A faculty senate vote of no confidence this week would not be binding but would send a strong signal.

Cornell's board of trustees met on campus earlier this month, and several faculty members said Kotlikoff has strong support from trustees. Board chair Anne Meinig Smalling did not respond to requests for comment. Cornell said it will review how the dorm room situation was handled and whether appropriate accommodations were provided.