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President of Cornell University Michael Kotlikoff has spoken out about allegations that a female student was raped by several fraternity members in 2024.
“What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply troubling and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come,” Kotlikoff, 74, said in a video statement on Saturday, Oct. 3.
A Cornell official admitted that the case “raises heartbreaking and troubling issues of sexual assault, dehumanization and aspects of party culture, alcohol and drug use.”
“It also raises questions about the investigation that was done after he reported the allegations,” he said.
A former Cornell student — known as Jane Doe — filed a lawsuit in September over incidents that allegedly occurred at the school’s Chi Phi fraternity house on Oct. 19, 2024.
Doe said the incident started with two fraternity brothers, though more allegedly took part in raping her over the course of several hours after a message on the brother’s Snapchat group chat advertised that “p**** was free.”
Two of the seven Chi Phi members allegedly involved in the attack were expelled and others were given much harsher punishments, such as writing essays or participating in workshops. No criminal charges were filed when Doe went to police with her story weeks later. (Doe eventually dropped out of Cornell University.)
In a speech Saturday, Kotlikoff emphasized that Cornell administrators don’t have “all the answers” right now, though he pledged support for “investigating and finding the answers.”
“You have my promise that this is not a moment that will pass. We will continue to take all the steps necessary to make Cornell an institution that leads not only in what we say about these issues, but in the work we do to address them,” he vowed.
Kotlikoff confirmed that Cornell has initiated an “independent review by an outside law firm” to determine the facts of the school’s initial response to Doe’s allegations. He also supported the Governor of New York Kathy Hochulappointment of the Attorney General of the state, Letitia Jamesas a special prosecutor to review the case.
Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
Matt Burkhart/AFP via Getty Images“We will not wait for the investigation or review to be completed before we take action,” Kotlikoff promised. “Where we see opportunities to strengthen prevention and education, support for students, mental health and substance use resources, investigative processes or coordination among our university offices, we will take action.
Kotlikoff suggested that changes may need to be made to Greek life at Cornell to promote “individual accountability, transparency, and a culture in which all members understand their responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of others.”
Earlier Saturday, Doe’s attorney said Thomas Giuffra gave NBC News an interesting update on how his client was dealing with the increased attention on the case.
“[Jane Doe is] not well,” he said, “This has ruined her life in such a sad way.”
Giuffra described the situation surrounding Doe’s departure from Cornell University as the disappointment of a lifelong dream.
“She comes from a small town. Her dream, since she was a little girl, was to go to Cornwall [Nolan] Hotel School – this was her dream,” he said. “She worked very hard – she came from an area where people didn’t go to Ivy League schools. This was an area where people either went to school locally or didn’t go to school at all. And this was her dream – she went there, betrayed by two friends. She was withdrawn, she could not withdraw without spending a lot of money on her parents. She had to stay there, and then eventually she couldn’t take it anymore – and her mother was always up there – and she had to go. “
Doe’s lawyer confirmed that she has been undergoing “extensive mental health treatment” since the alleged abuse and has put her education “on hold”.
“She’s hanging by a thread,” Giuffra said. “The only positive thing, I will say, is that the support she has seen from the public has been extremely helpful and helped her a lot through this process, and it really made me see how good a human being can be.”
Attorneys for several frat members allegedly involved in the incident have denied wrongdoing on their behalf.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is struggling or in need, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
