Cornell suspends Ithaca fraternity parties following sexual assault investigation outrage
Michael Kotlikoff announced Cornell University will suspend fraternity parties in Ithaca through the 2026-27 academic year. The school will also give New York State Police a role in investigating campus sex crimes, university officials said Tuesday.
The action follows public reaction to the handling of a 2024 sexual assault report at a fraternity house. Kotlikoff announced a zero tolerance policy for rule violations. Any violation will result in the immediate emergency suspension of a chapter.
“These measures will provide time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue,” Kotlikoff wrote in a letter to the campus community.
Cornell has more than 20 active fraternities affiliated with its Interfraternity Council. The council did not immediately respond to an email request for comment. Kotlikoff said the school will discuss safe social alternatives with students and faculty experts.
The university will invest money to launch those social initiatives. Kotlikoff committed to adding a case manager to the school Office of Civil Rights. This worker will help people who report sexual misconduct navigate the process.
State police criminal investigators operate independently of the school. They will now investigate campus sex crime allegations. Campus police generally investigate crimes reported on the grounds. That department has full law enforcement powers but is university controlled.
The university police force operates independently from municipal police in Ithaca. Campus officers investigated the 2024 gang rape allegations. They presented initial findings to the Tompkins County district attorney. That prosecutor declined to prosecute within weeks of the initial report.
A woman filed a lawsuit in September detailing the October 2024 incident at the Chi Phi house. She alleged multiple fraternity members drugged and sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit states men pressured her to use drugs. Other men entered the room while she was incapacitated, she alleged.
Snapchat messages circulated describing her as sexually available to anyone in the house, she alleged. Those messages were shared without her knowledge, according to the lawsuit. No criminal charges have been filed in the case.
The school closed the fraternity chapter. Internal investigators also disciplined several students. New York Gov. removed the district attorney from the matter this month. That removal followed public response to the lack of charges.
New York Attorney General Letitia James now leads the criminal investigation. Cornell hired former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct an independent review. Yates will review the response of the school.
The announcement arrived one day before a planned faculty senate vote. The faculty planned to consider a resolution of no confidence in the administration. Kotlikoff said the school must confront excessive drinking and drug use.
The university plans to add victim advocates, Kotlikoff said. It will also expand sexual violence prevention programs and bystander training.
“We will take all necessary steps to address the conditions that led to Jane Doe’s experiences, and those of other survivors,” Kotlikoff said.
The New York State Police agency conducts major crime investigations for municipal departments across New York state. Independent reviews at universities examine institutional policies and administrative procedures after reported campus crimes. Civil rights offices handle internal university investigations and coordinate student support resources.
Kotlikoff called the actions announced Tuesday initial steps toward systemic change on the Ithaca campus.
