Cornell faculty vote 'no confidence' in university leadership after alleged gang rape

Cornell University's Faculty Senate approved a resolution Friday declaring “no confidence” in the school's top leaders, a symbolic gesture reflecting deep discontent on campus in the wake of a former student's lawsuit saying she was gang raped at a fraternity party in 2024.

The resolution passed 75-50, with five faculty senators abstaining and five others not voting, according to an email sent to members of the Faculty Senate on Friday afternoon.

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In the aftermath of allegations by a former Cornell University student that she was gang raped in 2024 by several members of a school fraternity, the university is expected to release the results Friday of a no-confidence vote regarding its handling of sexual violence on campus. 

Cornell’s faculty senate began voting on the measure last week.  

The resolution reads, “Resolved: That the Faculty Senate has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University.” 

If the resolution passes, it would be the clearest rebuke of the school’s leadership since the controversy began, though the faculty senate does not have the authority to force any changes.  

A then-undergraduate student identified only as Jane Doe made a complaint to campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the alleged incident occurred, that she had been raped by a group of men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. She has filed a civil suit against the men and the university alleging that she had been drugged and raped.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the incident, and Cornell is also conducting an internal probe of its response to the allegations.

All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

Friday's no-confidence vote comes as four men named in Jane Doe's lawsuit are joining the legal push to have James removed from the criminal probe. 

In total, five of the seven men accused in the lawsuit say they want a judge to replace James as special prosecutor, arguing that a social media post she made in which she said of Jane Doe, "I'm holding her in my heart and in my prayers … you're not alone. We stand with you" demonstrates "actual or perceived conflicts of interest or bias."

The group is continuing the legal fight despite news this week that James appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former sex crimes federal prosecutor, to lead the matter and report to her office. The group argued that "while the appointment of Ms. Kelly changes the face of the investigation, it does not establish any change in ultimate authority."

“[The] appointment does not eliminate Petitioner's underlying concerns about Attorney James conducting a fair investigation,” attorney Andrew Miltenberg wrote in a court filing. "The announcement does not state that Attorney General James has in fact recused herself, relinquished supervisory authority, surrendered charging authority, or agreed not to participate in decisions concerning Petitioner."