Remove Cornell President Kotlikoff: Cornell Failed a Survivor
The Issue
In October 2024, a 20-year-old Cornell student was allegedly drugged and gang raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. According to the lawsuit she filed this month, one of the men sent a message to the fraternity group chat inviting others into the room while she was incapacitated.
She reported it. Cornell investigated. And according to the lawsuit and her attorney, only two of the seven were expelled. Others were allowed to reduce their punishment by writing essays. She left Cornell. Some of them are still enrolled.
Reporting from the Cornell Daily Sun says she was never even told the outcome of her own Title IX investigation. The public knew nothing for nearly two years, until she went to court.
Michael Kotlikoff was leading Cornell when this happened, and he leads it now. The university's response happened on his watch, and it tells every woman on that campus that her safety comes second to protecting the institution.
We are calling on the Cornell Board of Trustees to:
- Remove Michael Kotlikoff as president of Cornell University.
- Publicly explain how this case was handled and why the sanctions were so lenient, to the full extent the law allows.
- Commit to an independent, outside review of how Cornell handles sexual assault cases.
Cornell depends on the trust of students, parents, and alumni. This case has shattered trust in the administration's commitment to student safety. Families are reconsidering applying. Students are talking about transferring. Alumni are questioning whether to keep giving. The Board can restore that trust, but only through real accountability.
When you sign, tell the Board who you are: a parent reconsidering Cornell, a current student, an alum rethinking donations, or someone who is simply done watching schools protect abusers.
Then make sure they hear it from you. Email the Board directly by clicking here.
Women and girls deserve to be safe at school. Please sign and share.
Learn More:
CBS New York
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/cornell-university-lawsuit-fraternity-rape-allegations/
Cornell Daily Sun editorial, "Cornell Won't, We Will"
https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/editorial-cornell-won-t-we-will
Cornell's official statement
https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260921-update.cfm
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The Issue
In October 2024, a 20-year-old Cornell student was allegedly drugged and gang raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. According to the lawsuit she filed this month, one of the men sent a message to the fraternity group chat inviting others into the room while she was incapacitated.
She reported it. Cornell investigated. And according to the lawsuit and her attorney, only two of the seven were expelled. Others were allowed to reduce their punishment by writing essays. She left Cornell. Some of them are still enrolled.
Reporting from the Cornell Daily Sun says she was never even told the outcome of her own Title IX investigation. The public knew nothing for nearly two years, until she went to court.
Michael Kotlikoff was leading Cornell when this happened, and he leads it now. The university's response happened on his watch, and it tells every woman on that campus that her safety comes second to protecting the institution.
We are calling on the Cornell Board of Trustees to:
- Remove Michael Kotlikoff as president of Cornell University.
- Publicly explain how this case was handled and why the sanctions were so lenient, to the full extent the law allows.
- Commit to an independent, outside review of how Cornell handles sexual assault cases.
Cornell depends on the trust of students, parents, and alumni. This case has shattered trust in the administration's commitment to student safety. Families are reconsidering applying. Students are talking about transferring. Alumni are questioning whether to keep giving. The Board can restore that trust, but only through real accountability.
When you sign, tell the Board who you are: a parent reconsidering Cornell, a current student, an alum rethinking donations, or someone who is simply done watching schools protect abusers.
Then make sure they hear it from you. Email the Board directly by clicking here.
Women and girls deserve to be safe at school. Please sign and share.
Learn More:
CBS New York
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/cornell-university-lawsuit-fraternity-rape-allegations/
Cornell Daily Sun editorial, "Cornell Won't, We Will"
https://www.cornellsun.com/article/2026/09/editorial-cornell-won-t-we-will
Cornell's official statement
https://statements.cornell.edu/2026/20260921-update.cfm
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Petition created on September 27, 2026