Cornell President Vows ‘Serious Look’ at Campus Fraternities Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

The university’s President Michael Kotlikoff said on Saturday in a video message to the university community that the school would take “a serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life” among other steps aimed at creating a safer campus environment.“At their best, these organizations can provide ​students with friendship, belonging, mentorship and a powerful sense of community,” Kotlikoff said. “But being part of ​a group can never diminish individual responsibility.”Kotlikoff said the university would seek input from students, alumni, and other community members about how to “preserve what is valuable about Greek life while strengthening individual accountability, transparency and a culture in ​which every member understands their responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of others.”The message comes on the heels of a civil lawsuit filed last month against Cornell and seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The plaintiff, anonymized as “Jane Doe,” alleged she was sexually assaulted and pressured to take drugs and alcohol on the night of Oct. 19, 2024, and that the university failed to protect her and mishandled its response. The lawsuit names se...