Cornell President Apologizes Over Fraternity Sexual Assault Cover-Up

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff spoke out Saturday, telling his community the school "must do better" as it confronts serious questions about its handling of sexual assault claims involving seven former fraternity brothers. "What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come," he said in a video message released that day. His words carried weight when he added, "My heart aches when I think of what she experienced."

The incident at the Ithaca, New York, campus brings into sharp focus issues ranging from sexual assault and party culture to alcohol and drug abuse, plus the investigation launched after reports were filed. Kotlikoff acknowledged a hard truth for any institution: we do not always have all the answers. "I want to acknowledge something that can be difficult for an institution to say we don't have all the answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves," he stated. He concluded with a pledge of resolve. "I believe we as an administration, and we as a community must do better."

An independent review by an outside law firm is now underway to examine how Cornell handled the case. Kotlikoff welcomed that step and backed Governor Kathy Hochul's move to hand the criminal probe to New York Attorney General Letitia James. He made it clear that Cornell would not wait for those reviews to finish before implementing changes across prevention, education, student support, mental health services, substance use resources, and investigative procedures. "We will act," he said simply.

Jane Doe says in a lawsuit she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven former Chi Phi fraternity members during an October 2024 night at their house. At the time, she was a 20-year-old undergraduate student at Cornell. The men have denied wrongdoing. Some claim the sexual activity was consensual while others deny they even participated in it. No criminal charges have been filed against the seven men yet.

Doe filed a 101-page lawsuit last month accusing the former fraternity members of rape and sexual assault, naming Cornell and other entities as defendants. The case drew fresh attention after Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten revealed his office had not received the full transcript from Doe's November 2024 interview with Cornell University Police before prosecutors initially decided against pursuing charges. Van Houten reopened the investigation before Hochul appointed the Office of the Attorney General as special prosecutor. James confirmed Friday that her office was conducting an "active criminal investigation."

Kotlikoff also addressed growing frustration over how Cornell communicated its response to the allegations. He promised a greater effort to be transparent. "There are real legal and privacy limits on what we can say, but we will make a greater effort to explain what we can to provide context about the actions Cornell has taken and to be more transparent," he said.

He also noted that Cornell would reexamine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus and support efforts to change New York's laws regarding intoxicated victims. "You have my commitment that this will not be a moment that passes," Kotlikoff said. Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.