Cornell Faculty Senate Rejects Leadership Over Sexual Assault Response

A growing dispute over campus sexual assault allegations has prompted Cornell University's Faculty Senate to formally express no confidence in the university's central administration and President Michael Kotlikoff. The resolution passed Friday, November 6, 2026, following criticism of the university's response to a former student's allegations involving a fraternity party in 2024.

According to a university spokesperson, 75 faculty members participated in the vote. The resolution received 55.6% support, while 37% opposed it and 7.4% abstained or did not vote.

The controversy intensified after a former student identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit nearly two months earlier against Cornell, the Chi Phi fraternity chapter, seven fraternity members and several other entities. She alleges the university failed to protect her and impose adequate disciplinary consequences following an alleged sexual assault at a fraternity house party in 2024.

The lawsuit has triggered campus protests, increased faculty opposition and renewed examination of Cornell's policies concerning sexual violence. The Faculty Senate, the university's principal legislative advisory and review body, represents faculty members through more than 75 senators.

Paul Ortiz, a professor of labor history at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, introduced the resolution in September. According to Ortiz, he developed the proposal after hundreds of students urged faculty members to take a position following Doe's case. The measure received support from 18 faculty senators and 165 faculty members.

Faculty members who sponsored the resolution said they intended to use the vote to demand institutional accountability and changes to the university's approach.

"Despite the administration's repeated attempts to silence us, the faculty have come together to express our discontent and to demand that Cornell do better. We are speaking up for our students, colleagues, staff and alumni who have called on us to hold the administration accountable," the faculty sponsors said in a joint statement.

The sponsors also addressed concerns about campus culture and the treatment of survivors under Title IX, the federal law governing sex-based discrimination in education.

"From addressing the root causes of rape culture on campus to calling out the ways Title IX has been weaponized against survivors, we will use our collective voice to bring about real change," the faculty sponsors said.

Despite the faculty vote, Cornell's Board of Trustees has maintained its support for Kotlikoff. Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the Board of Trustees, acknowledged the anger among members of the university community while defending the current leadership.

"Today's Faculty Senate vote reflects the deep anger across our campus and sends a clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable," Meinig said.

She maintained that the university's leadership remained capable of addressing the allegations and broader concerns about campus safety.

"The Board of Trustees remains confident that President Kotlikoff and his administration are the right leaders to thoughtfully and comprehensively address the serious problem of sexual assault on our campus," Meinig said.

The resolution does not automatically remove Kotlikoff or any other administrator. Cornell's Faculty Senate lacks the authority to dismiss the university president, while the Board of Trustees oversees presidential leadership and the institution's $13.6 billion endowment.

Nevertheless, supporters of the resolution argue that the vote increases pressure on the trustees to reconsider the administration's handling of the crisis. Some faculty members and students have called for Kotlikoff's resignation, while the president has urged faculty to allow more time for institutional reforms.

Cornell has also initiated an independent examination of its response to the allegations. Former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is leading that review, while New York Attorney General Letitia James is overseeing a separate criminal investigation into Doe's 2024 case.

The resolution states that the Faculty Senate has "no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University."

The proposal followed several weeks of contentious discussions among faculty senators. During a meeting last month, senators rejected a motion to postpone the vote until the independent review was completed.

Supporters of postponement argued that an early vote could undermine ongoing institutional reforms and prejudge the independent investigation. Other faculty members questioned whether a no-confidence resolution would produce meaningful improvements.

Those backing the resolution maintained that the administration had responded too slowly and reactively to sexual assault concerns, while longstanding questions about student safety and institutional accountability remained unresolved.