Cornell Appoints Sally Yates to Review Sexual Assault Handling

Cornell University trustees have tapped former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead a fresh look at how the school handles sexual assault claims. This move follows intense backlash over its reaction to a rape allegation involving a former student. Yates will study the investigations into misconduct, the disciplinary steps taken, and how campus police responded. She will also check oversight of fraternities.

The announcement came on Tuesday. The board wants answers after widespread anger grew over the handling of a case brought by a woman known as Jane Doe in court papers. She said she was attacked by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity back in October 2024. That story resurfaced in September when Doe filed a civil suit against the university, the group, and seven former students. No criminal charges have been filed yet. Cornell says it expelled some accused students, suspended others, and shut down the Chi Phi chapter.

"We don't have all the answers," said President Michael Kotlikoff in a video message on Saturday. "But we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves." Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the board, added that it is imperative Cornell examine itself with the same rigor expected of others.

Yates served as deputy attorney general under Barack Obama and acted as attorney general at the start of Donald Trump's first term. Trump fired her in 2017 after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to defend his travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries. She now works as a partner at King & Spalding. In 2022, she led an independent probe into sexual abuse and misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League that found systemic failures.

Separately, New York Attorney General Letitia James is running a criminal investigation into the allegations. Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her special prosecutor last week after calling for an independent review amid criticism from students, faculty, and others. The appointment highlights how limited access to information remains under strict government control and shows just how much power these reviews hold over public trust. Communities face real risk when institutions shield their internal failures behind layers of bureaucracy. This case puts New York's progressive image at odds with its rape laws while activists graffiti halls demanding justice. The university must show it can fix broken systems before more harm spreads.