A former Cornell student who accused several students of raping her at a fraternity party says University President Michael Kotlikoff questioned why she delayed reporting the alleged assault. She said the comment left her feeling “unsupported and disbelieved.”
Her account of the remark, relayed through another person and disputed by Cornell, comes as faculty weigh a possible no-confidence vote in the university’s leadership. The Associated Press obtained a letter she sent to faculty leaders last week, and her attorney confirmed that it was authentic.
The allegations were outlined in a lawsuit filed last month, in which the former student was identified as Jane Doe. The case has prompted campus demonstrations, renewed scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary procedures and the reopening of a criminal investigation into the alleged October 2024 assault.
“The letter was sent for informational purposes only,” Jane Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, said. “Jane Doe thought it important that the Faculty Senate have this information as it deliberates and considers the resolutions or motions before it. Jane Doe would ask the Faculty Senate to give her letter whatever weight or credibility it deems appropriate.”
Dispute over president’s remarks
In her letter, Jane Doe said her sorority president told her that Kotlikoff had asked why she waited until the following month to report the alleged assault. The sorority leader spoke with Kotlikoff in November 2024 and understood his question as casting doubt on Jane Doe’s account.
“President Kotlikoff’s initial response was along the lines of, ‘Why did she wait so long to report it?’” Jane Doe wrote. She said the exchange weakened her confidence that the administration would respond with the sensitivity and fairness she expected.
Cornell’s dean of faculty, Chris Schaffer, described the conversation differently. In an email sent Tuesday to faculty senators and verified by the AP, Schaffer said another official who attended the discussion recalled Kotlikoff asking why bystanders had not reported the alleged assault sooner through Cornell’s anonymous tip line, particularly because the allegations were already circulating on social media.
Schaffer said he held off on distributing Jane Doe’s letter to faculty senators while seeking an additional account of the conversation. He later sent the letter to university attorneys, who provided it to an independent team investigating Cornell’s response.
At a meeting last week, Schaffer said he opposed the proposed no-confidence resolution because it did not identify specific failures or recommend particular solutions. He also acknowledged the frustration among faculty members. “The anger in our community is justified and I share it.”
Kotlikoff did not respond Tuesday to an email seeking comment on Jane Doe’s letter. A university spokesperson also rejected her account of the exchange, saying Kotlikoff was asking about the actions of bystanders, not about Jane Doe herself.
Faculty debate no-confidence resolution
The letter was sent to the Faculty Senate through Jane Doe’s attorneys and was first reported by The New York Times. It arrives as Cornell faculty consider a resolution expressing no confidence in the administration’s ability to address what some professors have called an “ongoing crisis” involving sexual assault on campus.
Faculty began debating the measure at a meeting last Wednesday, when Kotlikoff faced pointed questions about Cornell’s handling of sexual assault allegations and its oversight of fraternities. The Faculty Senate is expected to continue the debate on Oct. 28 before holding an electronic vote.
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Jane Doe wrote that she wanted faculty members to consider information that could be relevant to their deliberations. She stressed that she was not directing them to support or oppose the resolution.
“My intention is not to prescribe how the Senate should interpret this account, but rather to provide information that its members may wish to consider or investigate further,” she wrote.
Noah Tamarkin, an anthropology professor and co-sponsor of the no-confidence resolution, said Tuesday that he was still reviewing the letter. He added that it strengthened his view that Cornell needs major changes to restore trust.
“I continue to feel that the current administration hasn’t yet shown the capacity to do this,” Tamarkin wrote in a text message.
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Tamarkin said Jane Doe’s description of how the conversation affected her was especially significant, as was the apparent absence of a clear process through which she could be heard or receive support.
“We need leadership that understands how much that matters,” Tamarkin wrote.
Also Tuesday, Sally Yates, the former Justice Department official overseeing Cornell’s independent investigation, sent a letter to the university community describing the review as broad in scope.
Yates said investigators will closely examine Cornell’s response to Jane Doe’s allegations, along with the university’s policies and practices for preventing and disciplining sexual harassment and assault. The review will also assess the roles of campus police and other law enforcement agencies, the supervision of fraternities and sororities, and oversight by university leaders, including the board of trustees.
“We understand that some may be skeptical of our independence — I assure you that our independence is not a formality,†Yates wrote. The university, she said, has pledged complete autonomy and the resources “an independent review of this significance needs and deserves.â€
“We will follow the facts wherever they lead with unwavering candor and principled judgment so that this community — and the public — can have confidence in the integrity of our findings,†Yates, the former deputy attorney general, added.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673).
