Cornell University faculty are set to reconvene Wednesday to finish debating—and begin voting on—a proposed no-confidence resolution targeting the administration. The effort follows mounting anger over the university’s response to a woman who said she was gang raped at a campus fraternity house in 2024.
The session follows an Oct. 14 Faculty Senate meeting where professors sharply challenged Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff over the university’s handling of the allegations.
Although reporters were barred from that meeting, The Associated Press obtained an audio recording in which Kotlikoff conceded that mistakes had been made, defended his record and asked faculty to give him additional time to carry out reforms and address the culture surrounding student social life.
Kotlikoff appealed to faculty to maintain confidence in his leadership. He pointed to an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the case, saying its findings could produce significant changes.
A woman identified as Jane Doe in court filings sued the university last month, alleging that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. The seven men have denied the allegations.
The criminal inquiry conducted by Cornell police effectively stalled after the local district attorney decided not to bring charges.
In an interview with The New York Times, Kotlikoff said he did not follow up to determine what became of the woman or the criminal investigation.
When a faculty member asked whether he had reviewed the Cornell Police Department’s report on the allegations, Kotlikoff said he had not. He attributed that decision to the confidential nature of the investigation and to university policy, which he said bars senior administrators from participating in criminal cases.
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“I really reject the idea that I had no interest in it or was not concerned about it,” Kotlikoff said.
He also argued that experienced leadership is needed to tackle the university’s problems, warning that replacing the president would damage Cornell’s reputation.
Faculty members raised additional questions about how Cornell handled the return of a disciplined student, including the decision to place him in a shared dorm room with a roommate who did not know about his disciplinary record.
After Kotlikoff left the meeting, several faculty speakers said they no longer trusted the administration to effectively address sexual assault on campus.
Other Faculty Senate members cautioned that rushing into a no-confidence vote might not resolve the deeper problems confronting the university.
Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will not be open to the public or media. Faculty will be able to vote electronically after the meeting, with voting continuing through Nov. 6. Ballots will be anonymous.
While a faculty no-confidence resolution would carry little formal power, it could put pressure on Cornell’s trustees, who have ultimate authority over the university’s leadership.
Kotlikoff became Cornell’s interim president in July 2024 before assuming the position permanently last year.
His tenure has also been marked by a strike involving dining and custodial workers, backlash over his decision last year to approve a $60 million settlement of civil rights investigations conducted by the Trump administration, and accusations from activists that Cornell officials suppressed campus protests.