Insight into Cornell University’s Faculty Senate Meeting on Sexual Misconduct Allegations
The recent high-stakes meeting at Cornell University has drawn significant attention, as President Michael Kotlikoff faced probing questions from faculty regarding the university’s handling of sexual assault allegations. This scrutiny comes on the heels of a reported incident of gang rape at a fraternity house nearly two years ago. In response, the university has appointed former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct a comprehensive independent review of its handling of such misconduct claims.
On Tuesday, President Kotlikoff announced a collaboration with New York State Police to involve independent specialists in investigating allegations of sexual assault. At the Wednesday meeting, the debate amongst faculty revolved around their confidence in the university’s leadership to effectively address these issues. Although the meeting was closed to reporters, CBS News New York investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi accessed exclusive footage through a confidential source.
In the video, a speaker questions President Kotlikoff about the scope of the investigation, inquiring, “President Kotlikoff, can you name all of the different kinds of assaults, both sexual and otherwise, on men, women and children that the outside investigators will be examining, and how far will they go back in time in their investigations?” Kotlikoff replied, “That is a board review. I don’t dictate that review. It’s an open review. It does have a very broad mandate. I don’t know how far back they’re going to go, frankly, but I will say that we’re open to anything they ask.”
Another excerpt from the video captures a separate exchange where faculty express concerns about academic freedom being suppressed. A speaker states, “We’ve seen this administration suppress our academic freedom, as well as our students’ voices over the past few years,” prompting Kotlikoff to ask for specifics, “What academic speech has been restricted?” The speaker responds, “Since 2023, the administration has punished over 80 students for nonviolent speech.”
The next meeting is scheduled for October 28, after which faculty members will have about one week to submit their votes on the no-confidence resolution. Some faculty have shared concerns with CBS News New York, expressing that the incident from 2024 is only a small part of a larger issue. Many students and alumni have reportedly been hesitant to come forward with their own experiences of sexual assault.
All seven men accused in the 2024 case have denied the allegations. This detailed report was initially published by CBS News on October 14, 2026.