Cornell president vows transparency amid outrage over fraternity rape case

Michael Kotlikoff expresses deep sorrow over the case, calling it one of the most challenging periods for Cornell.

Students walk through campus at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, on October 2, 2026 [Matt Burkhartt/AFP]

Cornell University’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, has called the alleged 2024 gang rape of a student at a fraternity house “deeply disturbing”, pledging greater transparency amid mounting outrage over how the school handled the case.

“My heart aches when I think of what she experienced,” Kotlikoff said in an eight-minute video message to the Cornell community on Saturday.

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He characterised the past week as one of the most difficult in the university’s history and said it would weigh on the university for years to come. “It raises heartbreaking and troubling issues about sexual assault, dehumanisation and aspects of party culture, alcohol and drug use,” he said.

The woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges she was sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024 and has sued the university and seven former students.

Scrutiny over Cornell’s handling of the case intensified after New York Governor Kathy Hochul said newly released information had undermined her confidence in the local prosecutor, who initially declined to bring charges.

Hochul subsequently appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to take over the criminal investigation, saying she would “not allow anyone to sweep this case under the rug”.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, left, and New York Attorney General Letitia James attend a news conference in New York City on October 2, 2026, regarding an investigation into alleged sexual assault at Cornell University [Jeenah Moon/Reuters]

The case has also renewed scrutiny of the “ voluntary intoxication loophole ” in New York law that makes it difficult to prosecute sexual assaults involving victims who voluntarily consumed alcohol or drugs, even if they later became too intoxicated to consent.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten had cited the legal provision in defending his original decision not to pursue charges. Hochul has pledged to push for changes to it.

At a student assembly hearing on Thursday, several speakers called for Kotlikoff’s resignation.

In Saturday’s video, Kotlikoff reaffirmed his support for an independent review of the university’s handling of the case and said Cornell’s Board of Trustees would announce details next week. He also called for a “serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life”.

James’s appointment has placed the case under a prosecutor whose office has repeatedly clashed with President Donald Trump. She has separately described the case as “an active criminal investigation”.

Michael Kotlikoff 对此案表示深切哀悼，称这是康奈尔大学面临的最具挑战性的时期之一。

2026年10月2日，学生们走过位于纽约州伊萨卡的康奈尔大学校园。[Matt Burkhartt/AFP]

康奈尔大学校长迈克尔·科特利科夫称，2024年一名学生在兄弟会宿舍遭到轮奸的事件“令人深感不安”，并承诺在学校处理此案的方式引发越来越大的愤怒之际，提高透明度。

“每当我想起她所经历的一切，我的心就隐隐作痛，”科特利科夫周六在一段八分钟的视频信息中向康奈尔社区说道。

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康奈尔大学三起强奸指控中的第三起再次推动纽约州修改性侵犯法

他将过去一周描述为该大学历史上最艰难的时期之一，并表示此事将在未来几年持续影响着大学。“它引发了令人心碎和不安的问题，包括性侵犯、非人化以及派对文化、酗酒和吸毒等问题，”他说。

法庭文件中称该女子为简·多伊，她声称自己在 2024 年遭到 Chi Phi 兄弟会多名成员的性侵犯，并已起诉该大学和七名前学生。

纽约州州长凯西·霍楚尔表示，新公布的信息动摇了她对当地检察官的信心，而该检察官最初拒绝提起诉讼，此后，人们对康奈尔大学处理此案的方式的审查力度加大。

随后，霍楚任命州检察长莱蒂西亚·詹姆斯为特别检察官，接手刑事调查，并表示她“不会允许任何人掩盖此案”。

2026年10月2日，纽约州州长凯西·霍楚（左）和纽约州总检察长莱蒂西亚·詹姆斯在纽约市出席新闻发布会，讨论对康奈尔大学涉嫌性侵事件的调查。[Jeenah Moon/路透社]

该案也再次引发了人们对纽约州法律中“自愿醉酒漏洞”的关注，该漏洞使得对自愿饮酒或吸毒的性侵犯案件进行起诉变得困难，即使受害者后来醉酒到无法同意。

汤普金斯县地方检察官马修·范·豪顿曾援引该法律条款为其最初不予起诉的决定辩护。霍楚已承诺将推动修改该条款。

在周四举行的学生集会听证会上，几位发言者呼吁科特利科夫辞职。

在周六发布的视频中，科特利科夫重申了他支持对康奈尔大学处理此案的方式进行独立审查，并表示康奈尔大学董事会将于下周公布细节。他还呼吁“认真审视兄弟会和姐妹会在校园生活中的作用”。

詹姆斯的任命使此案交由一位曾多次与唐纳德·特朗普总统发生冲突的检察官负责。她此前曾将此案描述为“一项正在进行的刑事调查”。