Cornell’s student newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun, has continued to criticize the university after it broke the news of an alleged instance of sexual violence on campus that has gone on to make national headlines and ignite a conversation about violence against women on college campuses. In a letter from the editor, published on September 29, Sophia Dasser, the paper’s editor-in-chief, said that the university “has not listened,” as she called for people to share their thoughts on Cornell’s handling of the situation. In response to a request for comment from Newsweek on Wednesday morning, Cornell directed Newsweek to two previously issued statements and the series of FAQ's referenced in this story.
The most recent of the two statements issued reads in part: "Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false. A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault." The paper, which is the oldest continuously independent college daily paper in the country, broke the news that a former student—known as Jane Doe—had filed a civil lawsuit alleging that she had been raped at the Chi Pi fraternity house at Cornell in 2024. The plaintiff told The Daily Sun in the original story, “What happened to me was horrific and deeply disturbing.” “Almost two years later, I still carry the weight of its impact every day and night,” she said.
The plaintiff filed the lawsuit against her alleged attackers, the Chi Phi fraternity and the university. She alleges that over the course of seven hours, she was repeatedly raped. On Monday, prosecutors confirmed that a criminal probe has been reopened.
Matthew Van Houten, the Tompkins County district attorney, said in a statement obtained by Newsweek: "I have been asked by the community to revisit the decision whether to pursue criminal charges against the seven fraternity members.” Van Houten said that in 2024, criminal charges were not filed because the woman had not alleged that she had been gang raped or drugged against her will. Cornell has backed the decision to reopen the criminal probe. The school said in a statement: "Cornell University supports the decision of the Tompkins County District Attorney (DA) to provide an opportunity for the victim’s story in the 2024 Chi Phi fraternity sexual assault case to be heard by a criminal grand jury.” Cornell has been criticized in the wake of the allegations being publicized and, on September 29, published a list of frequently asked questions about the incident.
In that list, the university confirmed that it had taken disciplinary action including “temporary restrictions and other restrictive measures.” “Federal privacy law prohibits disclosure of specific information regarding individual students and disciplinary outcomes,” the university said. Several of the men named deny wrongdoing. A lawyer for one of the seven men named in the civil lawsuit said on behalf of his client in a statement to Newsweek on Monday that the claims are “intentionally dishonest” and “morally repugnant.” Meanwhile, an attorney for Jane Doe said in a statement to Newsweek, “The desperate protestations of innocence are expected.
What else could he say?” Dasser wrote in a letter from the editor published on September 29, “Cornell has not listened. We will.” In the letter, The Daily Sun shared a form where they are looking to gather reactions from students and staff, as well as alumni, parents, faculty and members of the wider community. The outlet will then look to publish the responses together “so that our community’s response can be read in its entirety.” “Reporting on a case does not make survivors less safe; silence does,” Dasser wrote in the letter.
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