Cornell University has cancelled its annual homecoming concert after the student group organising the event said it was standing with Jane Doe, a former student who alleges she was sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity.
The Cornell Concert Commission announced that the concert would not take place this academic year. The event had been scheduled for October 17 at Barton Hall, with sibling pop duo Between Friends due to headline.
Tickets, which were sold for $17, will be refunded within seven to 10 business days, the student-run organisation said.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the commission said: “The Cornell Concert Commission is a student-run organization and, as students, we stand with Jane Doe and all survivors of sexual violence.”
It added: “It takes so much strength to come forward with such a painful truth, and Jane Doe needs all the support she can get to stay strong during this turbulent time.”
The organisation said it was planning a charity concert focused on sexual violence prevention, featuring student bands and DJs. Donations from that event will go to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, it said, while Between Friends would be welcomed back to campus when schedules allowed.
The allegations against Chi Phi members
Jane Doe filed a lawsuit in September against Cornell, the fraternity, seven men and others. She alleges that she was sexually assaulted at a Chi Phi party on October 19, 2024, after being pressured into consuming alcohol and ketamine.
She claims the men engaged in sexual acts with her while she was incapacitated and without her consent. The seven accused men – Umar Matthew Ingalls, Jonathan Newell, Winston Lee, Gillio Lopes, Diego Sarabia, Scott Norris and Scott Kretzschmar – have not been charged with crimes and deny the allegations.
Jane Doe, who was 20 and a sophomore at the time, first reported the allegations in 2024. No charges were filed following an investigation by Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten.
After the lawsuit was filed, the case was reopened. New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.
The concert cancellation comes as demonstrators continue to rally on Cornell’s campus and elsewhere in support of Jane Doe. The university has faced criticism over its handling of the allegations after they were initially reported.
Two of the men, Ingalls and Newell, were expelled following the university’s investigation. Lee was suspended for two years and placed on disciplinary probation, while Lopes was suspended for three semesters and then placed on probation.
Sarabia was banned from campus for three years and later declared persona non grata after graduating. Norris and Kretzschmar were ordered not to contact Jane Doe and were required to complete work relating to sexual harassment, social media use and bystander intervention.
The Chi Phi chapter has since been banned from campus.
