Cornell Suspends Fraternity Social Events After Sexual Assault Allegations

President Michael Kotlikoff announced the suspension alongside a new zero-tolerance policy that threatens chapters with immediate emergency closure for any violations. The decision follows a September lawsuit in which a student alleged she was drugged and assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house. While the university previously disciplined several students after an internal review, the lack of criminal charges against the accused sparked intense community backlash, eventually prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to remove the local district attorney from the case.

To restore oversight, the university will now partner with the New York State Police for sexual misconduct investigations, shifting the burden away from the campus police force. This transition accompanies the appointment of former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of the school’s response to the allegations. The administration faces mounting pressure from faculty, who were scheduled to vote on a no-confidence resolution regarding the university's handling of sexual violence. Beyond the immediate restrictions, Kotlikoff intends to invest in alternative social programming and increase staffing within the Office of Civil Rights to better support survivors navigating the reporting process.