Cornell University has barred all parties at its fraternity houses, as the New York school faces mounting criticism of how it dealt with an alleged sexual assault on campus two years ago.
The move was announced in a statement on Tuesday by the university’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, who outlined a series of measures in response to the case. Last month, a woman known as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit alleging that she was drugged and raped by several men in 2024 at a party held at a Cornell fraternity house.
Cornell’s fraternity party ban and presidential apology
Kotlikoff said he was deeply sorry for the harm Jane Doe suffered and expressed shock that the assault took place within the university community. He acknowledged that women on campus still wonder whether they are safe, and said the school must admit where it has fallen short.
Fraternities have existed at universities across the United States for decades, operating as all-male social clubs where members live, study and socialise. Over time, these groups have gained a reputation for binge-drinking, partying and dangerous hazing rituals.
Kotlikoff said anyone who broke the new fraternity party policy would be suspended. The ban on parties will remain in place for the rest of the academic year.
New survivor support and a role for state police
The university also said it intends to strengthen support for survivors of sexual assault. Plans include hiring more staff to help people report sexual misconduct and to guide them through other support systems.
Under Title IX, the federal law that governs how universities handle sexual assault claims, schools must provide support measures that help survivors remain in school after an assault. Doe’s lawyer has said she left the university after the alleged attack.
Kotlikoff said New York State Police trauma-informed officers would be allowed to investigate sexual assault allegations on the Cornell campus. These officers would interview survivors who wish to pursue criminal charges and prepare comprehensive investigative summaries for the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Scrutiny of the district attorney’s handling of the case
Cornell has also faced criticism over the information it passed to the local district attorney’s office about Jane Doe’s allegations. Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said that, out of hundreds of documents US media outlets had obtained from Cornell’s investigation, his office received only a six-page statement signed by the victim in 2024. It also received Snapchat messages in which the men at the fraternity party advertised a free sexual encounter with Doe.
State officials have criticised Van Houten’s decision not to bring charges or to interview victims and witnesses himself. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed the state’s attorney general, Letitia James, to investigate the case.
Kotlikoff said Cornell would bring in national sexual violence prevention experts to examine the factors behind campus sexual violence and strategies for promoting responsible sexual citizenship. He described the steps as the first toward what he called systematic change on campus.
