Cornell students protest handling of Chi Phi sexual assault case as state probe begins

Campus protests and administrative backlash

On Monday, 5 October 2026, an estimated 1,000 or more students, faculty members, and community activists marched through Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Protesters called for the resignation of Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff and senior administrators, stating that university leadership had perpetuated a culture of sexual violence on campus. Demonstrators demanded an independent external inquiry into how university officials handled the assault report. The demonstration followed campus property damage, including broken windows and spray-painted graffiti accusing the administration of protecting rapists. Cornell released a public response addressing the unrest directly.

We understand the frustration and strong emotions in our university community. These concerns deserve to be heard, but property damage is not the solution.

The 2024 assault allegations and civil lawsuit

The campus mobilisation follows a civil lawsuit filed in September 2026 by a former student identified as Jane Doe, who was 20 years old at the time of the incident. Doe stated that members of the Chi Phi fraternity plied her with drugs and alcohol before sexually assaulting her while she was incapacitated at their chapter house in October 2024. The lawsuit names seven Chi Phi members, the local chapter, a local bar, her own sorority, and Cornell University as defendants. Doe reported the incident to police several weeks after it occurred. Following the civil filing, Doe's attorney told CNN that both he and his client have received threats.

University sanctions and internal findings

Cornell police opened an investigation in November 2024, noting in written records that Doe had been assaulted by multiple fraternity members. Documents from the university's disciplinary inquiry, reviewed by the New York Times, established that fraternity members used an internal chat to invite others to participate and noted that Doe was forced to consume drugs. Cornell revoked the Chi Phi chapter's recognition and imposed varied sanctions on the seven named members. While the accused men denied wrongdoing (some asserting the acts were consensual and others disputing their presence), Cornell expelled two students, suspended two on disciplinary probation, declared one persona non grata, and issued contact bans to two others alongside requirements to complete training modules and write reflection papers.

Reopened criminal probe and political reactions

The local district attorney initially declined to file criminal charges, stating in late September 2026 that the initial statement lacked evidence of criminal conduct. The lawsuit explicitly criticized the university for allowing participants to mitigate penalties with written essays while facing no criminal penalties. On 2 October 2026, New York Governor Kathy Hochul removed the local prosecutor from the case, citing concerns over how the initial investigation was handled. Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to lead a reopened criminal probe. US President Donald Trump also commented publicly on the appointment, criticizing James's role in the investigation.