Cornell University plans to hire outside lawyers to investigate a woman’s claim that she was raped at a fraternity house near campus in 2024. The agreement came during a conversation between Gov. Kathy Hochul and President Michael I.
Kotlikoff. Hochul said she wants answers and to know what happened. The woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, said in a lawsuit that seven men plied her with drugs and alcohol until she was unconscious, then raped her for hours inside the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.
She stated she never heard back from campus police or prosecutors after giving her initial statement. Some of the men were expelled or suspended, but the university has not disclosed individual punishments, citing privacy rules. The Cornell Daily Sun published an editorial naming the seven accused men and criticizing university leaders.
Political leaders, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have criticized the university and law enforcement, arguing lax penalties reinforce a culture of rape and violence. Cornell spokeswoman Rebecca Valli confirmed the independent investigation.
Hochul automatically became a Cornell trustee upon becoming governor in 2021 and said, “This culture has to stop.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing