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Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff pledged greater transparency and an independent review after an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024 prompted calls for his resignation.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff called the alleged gang rape of a student at a fraternity house in 2024 deeply disturbing and said it would weigh on the university for years to come.
The message came as scrutiny mounted over Cornell's handling of the case. In an eight-minute video message to the Cornell community, Kotlikoff described the past week as one of the most difficult in the university's history. He acknowledged troubling questions about the investigations that followed the allegations. My heart aches when I think of what she experienced, Kotlikoff said.
Cornell Responds to Sexual Assault Case
It raises heartbreaking and troubling issues about sexual assault, dehumanization and aspects of party culture, alcohol and drug use. I want to acknowledge something that can be difficult for an institution to say, Kotlikoff said. We don't have all the answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves. Kotlikoff reaffirmed his commitment to supporting an independent review of Cornell's handling of the case called for by New York Gov.
Kathy Hochul. He said the school's Board of Trustees would announce details next week. He also expressed support for Hochul's decision to turn the criminal investigation over to the state attorney general. The case has renewed scrutiny of a New York law that makes it difficult to prosecute sexual assaults involving people who voluntarily consume alcohol or drugs, even if they became too intoxicated to consent.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten cited the law in defending his initial decision not to pursue charges. He said the woman's original statement to police described voluntary drug use and sexual activity. The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, has sued the university and seven former students. The allegations are that she was sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members in 2024.
During a student assembly hearing Thursday, several speakers called for Kotlikoff's resignation. The hearing gave students an opportunity to voice concerns and discuss proposals to improve Cornell's response to sexual assault. Hochul, asked at a news conference Friday whether she believed Kotlikoff should resign over the university's handling of the case, declined to take a position. She said she did not yet have enough information.
Calls for Transparency and Accountability
Kotlikoff acknowledged frustration that Cornell has not communicated enough, saying that has led to distrust. While citing real legal and privacy limits on what the university can disclose, he pledged greater transparency and more opportunities for students, parents and others to engage with university leaders. He also committed Cornell's support to legislative efforts to change New York's sexual assault laws.
Critics have long sought to close what they call the voluntary intoxication loophole, which distinguishes between people incapacitated by drugs administered without their consent and those who voluntarily became intoxicated. Hochul has pledged to push for changes to the law. Kotlikoff also called for a serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life. Sororities and fraternities must foster a culture of individual responsibility and accountability, he said.
Cornell will engage students, alumni and other members of the community to examine how to preserve what is valuable about Greek life while strengthening accountability, transparency and a culture of safety and responsibility. Being part of a group can never diminish individual responsibility for our own actions, for how we treat others or for speaking up when someone may be at risk, he said. The Chi Phi fraternity house at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
, has drawn attention in the case. The Associated Press reported on the campus reaction and the president's video message.
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CTVToronto:Cornell president calls alleged gang rape 'deeply disturbing,' pledges greater transparency 
CP24:Cornell president calls alleged gang rape 'deeply disturbing,' pledges greater transparencyThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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