Story perspectives

Cornell faces no-confidence vote over 2024 assault case

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 10:28 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Cornell President Faces No-Confidence

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff faces a faculty no-confidence vote after a 2024 sexual assault case.
Jane Doe’s Oct 14 letter quoted Kotlikoff asking, “Why did she wait so long to report it?”
Title IX expelled two members, suspended two, gave lighter penalties to three, and Cornell started a task force in Feb 2025.
The board of trustees backs Kotlikoff, and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates heads an independent review of the case.

Summary

Wes Moore Demands Reform

A Cornell University survey found 35% of undergraduate women reported nonconsensual sexual contact since enrollment in 2025.
Over 60 people attended a Badgers Against Sexual Assault rally at the University of Wisconsin–Madison demanding stronger education and sanctions.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore gave the Higher Education Commission 90 days to recommend campus sexual-assault policy reforms.
University of Pennsylvania President Larry Jameson pledged expanded Title IX resources and broader sexual-violence education.

History

Historical Context

Title IX, enacted in 1972, first proved its legal reach when the University of Colorado settled a deliberate-indifference case in 2006 for $2.5 million. Subsequent settlements—Arizona State in 2008 for $850,000—and the 2011 Obama-era Dear Colleague Letter forced schools to adopt uniform reporting standards. Today, calls for accountability at Cornell and a Wisconsin Badgers rally revive the same demand for Title IX compliance.

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Cornell President Faces No-Confidence

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff faces a faculty no-confidence vote after a 2024 sexual assault case.
Jane Doe’s Oct 14 letter quoted Kotlikoff asking, “Why did she wait so long to report it?”
Title IX expelled two members, suspended two, gave lighter penalties to three, and Cornell started a task force in Feb 2025.
The board of trustees backs Kotlikoff, and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates heads an independent review of the case.

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