Cornell faculty senate to release result of no-confidence vote

NEW YORK (ABC NEWS) — In the aftermath of allegations by a former Cornell University student that she was gang raped in 2024 by several members of a school fraternity, the university is expected to release the results Friday of a no-confidence vote regarding its handling of sexual violence on campus.

Cornell’s faculty senate began voting on the measure last week.

The resolution reads, “Resolved: That the Faculty Senate has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University.”

If the resolution passes, it would be the clearest rebuke of the school’s leadership since the controversy began, though the faculty senate does not have the authority to force any changes.

A then-undergraduate student identified only as Jane Doe made a complaint to campus police in November 2024, three weeks after the alleged incident occurred, that she had been raped by a group of men at the Chi Phi fraternity house. She has filed a civil suit against the men and the university alleging that she had been drugged and raped.

New York Attorney General Letitia James is conducting an investigation into the incident, and Cornell is also conducting an internal probe of its response to the allegations.

All seven fraternity brothers named in the civil lawsuit have denied wrongdoing and no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

Friday’s no-confidence vote comes as four men named in Jane Doe’s lawsuit are joining the legal push to have James removed from the criminal probe.

In total, five of the seven men accused in the lawsuit say they want a judge to replace James as special prosecutor, arguing that a social media post she made in which she said of Jane Doe, “I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers … you’re not alone. We stand with you” demonstrates “actual or perceived conflicts of interest or bias.”