Governor appoints James as special prosecutor to investigate handling
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced the measures in a statement Tuesday, saying he was “deeply sorry for the harm Jane Doe suffered in 2024, and appalled that this act of sexual violence occurred within our Cornell community.”
“It is clear that women on our campus continue to question whether they are safe,” Kotlikoff added. “We must meet this moment by acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action.”
The university said it would expand staff to help survivors report sexual misconduct and navigate support systems. Cornell also said it would allow New York State Police trauma-informed officers to interview survivors who pursue criminal charges and prepare “comprehensive investigative summaries for the appropriate law enforcement agency.” Kotlikoff said the school would bring in national sexual violence prevention experts to examine “the factors leading to campus sexual violence and strategies to promote responsible sexual citizenship,” and framed the steps as the first move toward “systematic change” on campus.
The lawsuit was filed last month by a woman identified as Jane Doe, who alleges she was plied with drugs and raped by several men at the 2024 fraternity party. Thomas Giuffra, the lawyer representing Doe, said she filed the civil action “to achieve her aim of improving Cornell and its response to abuse claims.” But he added: “While the steps announced today are helpful to achieve this goal, they are too late to protect Ms. Doe.”
The case has drawn criticism of how Cornell and local prosecutors handled the allegations. Out of hundreds of documents U.S. media outlets obtained from Cornell’s investigation, Van Houten said his office received in 2024 only the six-page statement signed by Doe and Snapchat messages in which men at the fraternity party advertised a “free sexual encounter” with her. Van Houten did not bring charges and did not personally interview victims or witnesses, a decision state officials have criticized.
Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed James as a special prosecutor to investigate the case. The university has previously faced criticism over what information it shared with the local district attorney’s office; Doe’s lawyer has said she dropped out after the alleged assault.
Under Title IX — the federal law that governs how universities handle sexual-assault claims — schools are required to provide measures of support to help survivors stay in school after assaults.
Fraternities have operated on U.S. campuses for decades as all-male social organizations, but the groups have become notorious for binge drinking, partying and dangerous hazing rituals.