Cornell Faculty Senate Votes 75-50 No Confidence in Leaders Over Assault Response

Cornell University's Faculty Senate on Friday approved a resolution declaring no confidence in the administration's ability to address sexual assault on campus. The vote was 75-50, according to NBC News, the Guardian and CBS News. The measure is symbolic and does not remove anyone, and the board of trustees responded within hours that it still backs President Michael Kotlikoff.

Five senators abstained and five did not vote, according to results obtained by NBC News. The Guardian reported that voting took place electronically over more than a week.

What led to the vote

The senate took up the issue after a former student, identified as Jane Doe, sued the university and seven former members of the Chi Phi fraternity in September. She alleges she was sexually assaulted and given drugs at the fraternity house on Oct. 19 and 20, 2024. NBC News reported that she told police the encounter began as a consensual threesome but turned into unwanted sex and ketamine use.

All seven men deny the allegations, according to NBC News and the Guardian. The Guardian reported that some say the sex was consensual and others say they were not involved.

Reports differ slightly on the university's discipline. NBC News said two men were expelled after an internal civil rights proceeding and others faced lesser punishments. The Guardian, citing records obtained by the New York Times, reported that two were expelled, two were suspended and placed on probation, and two had to write reflection papers and complete bystander training. A seventh had already graduated and was barred from campus.

Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten declined to pursue a criminal case in November 2024, NBC News reported. The investigation has since been reopened and handed to New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Guardian reported.

What the faculty backers say

The resolution says the senate has no confidence in the central administration's ability to effectively address what it calls an ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell. It does not call for Kotlikoff to resign or recommend any removals, according to NBC News and the Guardian.

Sponsors called the vote “a reckoning” and said they want meaningful, evidence-based steps rather than a slow-moving task force, a weakly enforced ban on fraternity parties or public relations damage control. Lead sponsor Paul Ortiz, a labor history professor, said the Jane Doe case was the tip of the iceberg, based on accounts from students, alumni, staff and faculty. Co-sponsor Iris Packman told CBS News the faculty wanted to distance itself from the current leadership.

Cornell's chapter of the American Association of University Professors said the senate had never taken such a step in its 56 years. It said Kotlikoff and Ryan Lombardi, the vice president of student and campus life, had failed on student well-being and accountability, and called for a change in leadership.

What the trustees and administration say

Board chair Anne Meinig Smalling said the vote reflects deep anger on campus and sends a clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable. She added that the board remains confident Kotlikoff and his administration are the right leaders to address the problem.

Smalling cited new staff in the Cornell Office of Civil Rights, expanded in-person prevention education and more victim advocates. CBS News reported that she also pointed to the administration's record on restoring federal funding, preserving free speech and leading the university through COVID. She said more initiatives would launch in the coming weeks and months.

CBS News reported that Kotlikoff has acknowledged shortcomings in the university's response. He has announced new safety measures, including an agreement with New York State Police to investigate sexual assault complaints. At an Oct. 14 senate session, NBC News reported, he promised to reassess Greek life and examine ways to reduce reported assaults.

Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said he hopes the vote will help educate and support the Cornell community in confronting sexual assault on campus.

What this means for Cornell and its students

The vote carries moral weight but no direct power. Only the board of trustees can replace the president. NBC News reported that the board can weigh the faculty's finding but signaled that no immediate changes are expected. The Guardian reported that backers hoped the resolution would pressure trustees to act urgently on what they see as longstanding institutional failures.

For students and employees, any change is likely to come through policy rather than personnel. CBS News reported that sponsors plan to press for action on hazing and fraternity culture, more transparency from the administration, including release of the full Yates report, and changes to the Title IX process and sanctions. They also want independent investigations with outside law enforcement and better support for survivors. Ortiz said faculty are planning an oral history project featuring survivors' stories.

What happens next

The attorney general's inquiry is continuing. NBC News reported that James this week named former federal prosecutor Jacqueline Kelly to lead an independent review. Two defendants have challenged James's role, arguing her social media posts show bias, and she has said her comments expressed empathy and that her office can conduct an unbiased review. A decision on one defendant's motion to block her from any grand jury proceeding is expected Nov. 13.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by NBC News, The Guardian, CBS News