Cornell Students Plan Sit-In Over Alleged Fraternity Assault, University Hires Investigator

Cornell University students plan a seven-hour sit-in on October 7 at Toni Morrison Dining Hall to demand meaningful change following an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024.

The protest, promoted by groups including Cornell NAACP and Students for a Democratic Cornell, also includes a campus-wide economic blackout, urging students not to attend class or make on-campus purchases. This demonstration follows a large protest on October 5 where thousands of students demanded accountability for the university's alleged mishandling of the case. The outrage stems from a lawsuit filed last month by a woman known as Jane Doe, who alleges she was drugged with alcohol and ketamine and raped by seven Chi Phi fraternity members in October 2024.

All seven accused men have denied the allegations. Cornell University trustees announced on October 6 they have enlisted former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct an independent review of how the school handles sexual misconduct complaints. Yates's assessment will include investigations into sexual assault and harassment reports, disciplinary processes, and campus police responses. Newly obtained videos from Cornell's 2024 campus investigation show Chi Phi fraternity members telling university police they heard the group sex was consensual.

One member stated what people were saying was that there was like multiple consenting adults in this room. An investigator questioned how they could know it was consensual. Jane Doe's testimony described feeling prostituted and in a dark room with shadows of men in and out constantly. No criminal charges have been filed, but New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor last week, citing a lack of faith in the Tompkins County District Attorney's ability to oversee the case.

Governor Hochul also pledged to work with the state legislature to close a voluntary intoxication loophole in New York law, which some experts say has been misinterpreted. Cornell shut down the Chi Phi chapter and expelled some students while suspending others.