Cornell bans frat parties amid rape case fallout

Cornell University leaders are prohibiting all campus fraternity houses from hosting parties and social events through the remaining academic year, a decision they say is meant to bolster campus security. The moratorium, announced in a Tuesday statement from University President Michael Kotlikoff, came after weeks of backlash over how the university handled a gang rape allegation made by an unnamed former student who said she was assaulted at a frat party in 2024.

The former Cornell student, identified only as Jane Doe, claims she was drugged and raped by seven former and current members of the Ivy League’s Chi Phi fraternity chapter, according to a civil lawsuit she filed recently. The lawsuit included graphic allegations, prompting a public outcry against the university and local officials who oversaw the woman’s original assault report.

In his Tuesday announcement, Kotlikoff said the party ban would allow Cornell officials to thoroughly review the campus’ fraternity life and decide if and how the groups may safely resume activities. Frats found violating the party ban will receive an immediate emergency suspension, he added. The school planned to engage with students and faculty to invest in safer alternatives to house parties, according to the statement.

Is Cornell taking any other campus safety measures? The school plans to provide more support for individuals reporting sexual assaults, including by adding support staff to its civil rights office. Criminal investigators with the New York State Police would investigate on-campus sexual assault allegations independently from the school, according to Kotlikoff. State investigators will interview assault survivors looking to press criminal charges before preparing investigative summaries for the appropriate agencies, he explained. According to the statement, Cornell will also take steps aimed at reforming the school’s social culture in order to reduce the risk of sexual violence.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this month appointed Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor in the reopened investigation of the alleged assault at Cornell.