Cornell University has suspended all parties and other social events at fraternity houses for the remainder of the 2026-27 academic year, as it faces mounting scrutiny over its handling of allegations that a student was sexually assaulted at a fraternity house in 2024.
The ban, announced by university president Michael Kotlikoff, applies to houses affiliated with Cornell’s Interfraternity Council. A new “zero tolerance” policy means any breach will trigger the immediate emergency suspension of the fraternity involved.
Mr Kotlikoff said the measures would allow the university to conduct a full review of fraternity life and consider whether, and in what form, it could continue safely.
In a letter to the campus community, he also said Cornell would work with students and faculty to develop safer alternatives to fraternity party culture, with funding provided to support those initiatives.
Cornell fraternity ban follows rape allegations
The action follows a civil lawsuit filed last month by a former student identified in court documents as Jane Doe. She alleges that she was sexually assaulted by several members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024 after being pressured to drink alcohol and take drugs, including ketamine.
The allegations have not been tested at trial. Lawyers for at least two of the men named in the case have denied that they took part in a sexual assault, while court records show that some of the accused said the sexual activity was consensual.
Cornell’s police investigated the complaint and presented their initial findings to the Tompkins County district attorney, who declined to bring charges at the time. The district attorney later reopened the investigation after the lawsuit brought renewed public attention to the case.
New York governor Kathy Hochul has since removed the district attorney from the matter amid public criticism. The criminal investigation is now being led by state attorney general Letitia James, and no criminal charges have been filed.
The Chi Phi chapter at Cornell has been shut down. The university has also said that some students were expelled and others suspended following its internal disciplinary proceedings.
Alongside the party ban, Cornell said New York State Police investigators would be allowed to assist with reports of sexual crimes on campus. The university’s own police force has full law-enforcement powers but is controlled by Cornell.
Mr Kotlikoff also pledged to appoint a case manager within the university’s Office of Civil Rights to help students reporting sexual misconduct navigate the process. Cornell plans to add victim advocates and expand education on sexual violence prevention and bystander intervention.
The university’s board of trustees has separately appointed former US deputy attorney general Sally Yates to lead an independent review of its response to the allegations. The review will examine Cornell’s handling of sexual assault and harassment reports, its disciplinary procedures, campus police response and oversight of fraternities and other student organisations.
“These measures will provide time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue,” Mr Kotlikoff wrote.
