Students and faculty rallied at Cornell University over the administration’s response to a woman’s allegation of a 2024 gang rape at the Chi Phi fraternity house. Demonstrators called for transparency and stronger support for survivors. The protest followed overnight damage and graffiti at the university’s main administration building.
The crowd gathered outside the student center wearing purple ribbons and carrying signs, then marched to deliver a list of demands. Cornell said it was investigating damage to glass doors and walls at the administration building. A university spokesperson said property damage did not address the community’s frustration.
The woman, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, alleges that several Chi Phi members sexually assaulted her in October 2024 after she was pressured to drink alcohol and take drugs. She has filed a civil lawsuit against the university, former students, the fraternity and others. Lawyers for two former students deny that they took part. Some of the students interviewed by Cornell investigators described the sexual activity as consensual. No criminal charges have been filed.
Cornell says it expelled some students and suspended others, and the campus chapter of Chi Phi has been shut down. New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed the state attorney general to take over the criminal investigation and called for an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the case. University president Michael Kotlikoff issued an apologetic video statement and pledged greater transparency.