Cornell faculty vote no‑confidence in president as students protest assault allegations
On June 9, 2026, Cornell University’s Faculty Senate voted to consider a resolution of no confidence in President Michael Kotlikoff, with 40 of the 75 voting members supporting the measure.
The faculty action followed a mass student protest that same afternoon, when dozens of demonstrators converged on the Ithaca campus demanding the president’s resignation and immediate accountability for the alleged gang rape of a student known only as Jane Doe, allegedly perpetrated by members of the Chi Phi fraternity.
Faculty senator Paul Ortiz, the sponsor of the resolution, told colleagues that the vote reflected “concern for student safety and a desire for the university to address the perennial problem of sexual assault on campus.” He noted that many faculty members had been approached by students expressing fear and frustration over the university’s response to the case.
President Kotlikoff, speaking at a campus assembly that morning, told students, “We’re not hiding anything at Cornell,” and pledged to propose initiatives aimed at improving campus culture. He has so far rejected calls for his resignation.
The allegations stem from an October 2024 incident at the Chi Phi fraternity house, where Jane Doe claims she was intoxicated, pressured to take ketamine, and subsequently assaulted by multiple fraternity members. Seven former fraternity brothers are named in a lawsuit filed in September 2024. While the men deny wrongdoing, no criminal charges have been filed, although New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened an active criminal investigation and Cornell has retained outside counsel for an independent review.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten initially declined to pursue charges in 2024, citing a six‑page summary of Doe’s interview that did not allege non‑consent. The investigation was reopened last month after the summary was re‑examined against a longer transcript in which Doe described the assault as a gang rape.
Student protesters gathered on Ho Plaza and other campus locations, chanting for Kotlikoff’s resignation and calling for transparent handling of the case. The demonstrations reflected broader campus unrest over perceived delays and inconsistencies in university policy on sexual misconduct.
The Faculty Senate will bring the no‑confidence resolution to a formal vote on October 14, and the outcome could shape the university’s leadership and its approach to sexual assault investigations. The next steps for both the faculty and the students hinge on how quickly Cornell can demonstrate substantive change in its handling of such cases.
