Cornell University will examine the role of fraternities and sororities on campus after an outcry over the school’s handling of a student’s rape allegations, the Ivy League school’s president has said. A civil lawsuit filed last month by the woman, who alleges she was drugged and raped in 2024 by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity, has prompted outrage and soul-searching at Cornell over its campus culture at the school in Ithaca, New York. In a video message on Saturday, the Cornell University president, Michael Kotlikoff, said the school would take steps to prevent a similar situation in the future.
That included “a serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life,” Kotlikoff said. The lawsuit against Cornell, seven fraternity members and others, alleges that the school failed to adequately punish some of the accused students. The accused men have denied all wrongdoing, the New York Times has reported.
Cornell has defended its handling of the matter, saying it launched a comprehensive investigation and barred the Chi Phi fraternity from campus. The school said it imposed a range of disciplinary measures, including expulsions. But “we must do better”, Kotlikoff said.
The case has reignited scrutiny of how law enforcement and universities handle sexual assault complaints, with students questioning whether processes are enough to protect them. It has also drawn the attention of New York state officials, who have appointed a special prosecutor to investigate.
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