The president of Cornell University assured the campus community that officials would take action in the wake of sexual assault allegations, promising in his first personal statement about the incident that \u201cthis will not be a moment that passes.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an eight-minute video, the president, Michael I. Kotlikoff, acknowledged the distrust that has gripped his campus since a lawsuit alleging a gang rape at a campus fraternity garnered national attention. He promised that the university, which has been criticized for its handling of the initial allegations, would be more transparent going forward.<\/p>\n
Mr. Kotlikoff, who has served in the role for about two years, struck a conciliatory tone, saying the university supported an independent investigation and would work to find ways to hold Greek life accountable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been one of the most difficult weeks in our history,\u201d Mr. Kotlikoff said.<\/p>\n
A woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, claimed in a lawsuit filed last month that she was sexually assaulted in October 2024 at a Chi Phi fraternity house on Cornell\u2019s campus by seven men and that the school and local law enforcement failed to punish those involved appropriately. None of the accused men have been charged with a crime, and they have denied wrongdoing<\/a>, and the university has defended its handling of the allegations.<\/p>\n The claims made in Jane Doe\u2019s lawsuit, along with the release this week of internal school documents that included Jane Doe\u2019s account and testimony from six of the seven men, prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to appoint Letitia James, the state\u2019s attorney general, to oversee the investigation into Jane Doe\u2019s allegations.<\/p>\n