Cornell University faculty members say it has become increasingly difficult to teach classes attended by two students who were previously members of a fraternity and remain accused in a sexual assault lawsuit.
The controversy has shaken the New York Ivy League institution since a woman identified in court filings as Jane Doe sued in September. She alleges that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her at an off-campus fraternity house in 2024.
The university’s handling of the allegations has prompted campus demonstrations, while Cornell’s faculty senate has announced plans to consider a no-confidence measure targeting the school’s administrators.
Prosecutors initially chose not to bring criminal charges. Cornell later opened a Title IX inquiry in 2025 and subsequently closed the fraternity.
Matthew Ingalls and Jonathan Newell were removed from campus, while two other students received suspensions. University officials have confirmed that two men identified in the lawsuit remain enrolled at Cornell.
Winston Lee and Gillio Lopes, two of the seven defendants named by Jane Doe, were suspended following the Title IX process and are believed to have returned to campus. Both have denied the allegations.
At a virtual meeting with university officials on Tuesday, faculty members described the strain of teaching courses attended by the two accused students, with some saying they are struggling to manage the classroom environment, CNN reported.
Cornell has appointed Sally Yates, a former Justice Department official under President Barack Obama who was dismissed by President Donald Trump, to lead an examination of the university’s response to the sexual assault allegations.
Cornell University faculty members say they are struggling with the continued presence on campus of two former fraternity brothers accused in a sexual assault case
Campus demonstrations have focused on Cornell’s handling of the allegations, while the faculty senate is preparing to vote on a possible no-confidence resolution against university leaders
Yates’ “comprehensive independent review” will examine how Cornell prevents and responds to sexual harassment, sexual assault and other related misconduct across the university.
The review will assess the institution’s policies, procedures and support systems covering both prevention efforts and responses to reported incidents.
Among the areas under scrutiny are the way complaints are received and investigated, the conduct of hearings and disciplinary proceedings, and the actions of campus police. The inquiry will also consider cooperation with outside law enforcement and prosecutors, along with Cornell’s supervision of fraternities and sororities.
Cornell declined to identify the students who remain enrolled when contacted by the Daily Mail, citing federal privacy requirements.
“We recognize that this case has affected members of our community in different ways, and we are committed to supporting students, faculty and staff,” a university spokesperson said.
“University leaders recently provided instructors with guidance on helping students academically and stressed the value of faculty discretion and flexibility when addressing individual circumstances.
“Our goal is to ensure that members of our community understand they do not have to face these challenges alone and can obtain the resources and support they need.”
In addition to Lee and Lopes, the lawsuit names Ingalls, Newell, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar. All seven men have denied wrongdoing.
The dispute has intensified at the New York Ivy League university since Jane Doe filed a September lawsuit alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her
According to Jane Doe’s lawsuit, the evening of October 19, 2024, started with underage drinking at multiple bars alongside sorority friends. She says she was later invited to a party at the Chi Phi house and “stumbled alone” there to meet her friend, Ingalls.
She said she then agreed to have sex with Ingalls and another man, but alleged that she was pressured to snort ketamine and smoke marijuana as she became heavily intoxicated.
Jane Doe alleged that she became disoriented as other men joined in, all while the men sent a message to the Chi Phi Snapchat group to say there was ‘free p***y upstairs’ in an invite for others to enter the room as well.
The messages also allegedly included an invitation to ‘walk in and whip it out,’ the lawsuit claims.
She said the horrific night ended at around 5.45am on October 20, 2024, when she lost consciousness and eventually returned to her sorority house.
Three weeks later, she reported the incident to the police, but prosecutors declined to bring charges, citing ‘insufficient evidence.’
One of the men allegedly posted to the fraternity’s active-members Snapchat group saying that there was ‘free p***y’ upstairs, referring to Doe, according to the filing, which included an image of the purported chat
Chi Phi fraternity was banned from campus, and the school’s Title IX board launched an investigation into the brothers.
Ingalls and Newell were found responsible for sexual assault by the school’s Title IX panel and were expelled.
Lee received a two-year suspension after the Title IX investigation, but he was not expelled from Cornell, and he has reportedly since returned to classes under disciplinary probation.
Lopes was also hit with a three-semester suspension, and both he and Lee had to write reflection papers and undergo sexual harassment training courses.
Sarabia had already graduated and could not be subject to Title IX punishments, but the university issued a persona non grata order barring him from campus for three years.
Kretzschmar and Norris were found not to be responsible for sexual activity, and their punishments did not include expulsion or any suspensions.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has now launched an ‘active criminal investigation’ into the case, and the men have denied any wrongdoing.
The Daily Mail contacted Cornell, the Office of the Dean of Faculty and the university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors for comment.