Cornell Faculty Launch No-Confidence Vote Amidst Outcry Over Alleged Gang Rape Handling

Cornell University has initiated a no-confidence vote targeting the institution's leadership following public outcry over its handling of an alleged gang rape. The vote, which began on Thursday and is scheduled to conclude on November 6, is non-binding but aims to signal a loss of confidence in President Michael Kotlikoff among the faculty.

Paul Ortiz, the lead faculty sponsor of the resolution, stated, “Hundreds of students, staff, faculty and alumni approached the sponsors of this resolution to emphasize to us that the Jane Doe case is but a tip of the iceberg.” This sentiment arises from a lawsuit filed last month alleging that a female student, identified as Jane Doe, was drugged and gang-raped by seven male students at a fraternity house in 2024. The case has intensified scrutiny on the university's response, questioning whether it acted with sufficient urgency or downplayed the incident to protect its reputation.

In response to the allegations, the university initially shut down the fraternity and suspended the accused male students, with two subsequently being expelled. Discussions among faculty on Wednesday considered postponing the no-confidence vote, with some advocating for patience while others insisted it was a necessary reaction to perceived institutional reluctance to address the issue seriously. This debate followed a letter from a group of 20 female science and engineering faculty members urging Kotlikoff's resignation.

The letter asserted, “What our community needed was clear leadership; instead, it faced a leadership vacuum.” President Kotlikoff addressed the situation in a statement, expressing deep sorrow for Jane Doe's suffering and his dismay that such an act occurred within the Cornell community. Meanwhile, two of the men accused in the alleged rape have requested the recusal of New York Attorney General Letitia James from the renewed criminal probe, citing her social media posts supporting the accuser prior to her official appointment. A judge on Thursday reportedly appeared skeptical of this challenge, with James' office deeming the claims “without merit.”