US prosecutors reopen Cornell university gang rape investigation

Cornell University has rejected allegations that students involved in a sexual assault lawsuit were granted lenient penalties by merely submitting essays, categorizing the assertion as false and expressing concern that it could discourage survivors from coming forward. When queried about the disciplinary actions taken against the accused students, the prestigious Ivy League institution stated to The Korea Times on Tuesday that any implication that the university's penalties were not severe in this case is inaccurate.

"Persisting with the false story that consequences in this matter were minimal is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less secure and supported, and will encourage the underreporting of sexual assault," the university asserted. The response followed the filing of a lawsuit this month by a former Cornell student in New York, who alleged that seven members of the school's Chi Phi fraternity drugged and sexually assaulted her in October 2024, as reported by The Cornell Daily Sun.

The university clarified that the implicated fraternity chapter was disbanded in 2024 and remains banned from campus. The defendants were given unspecified disciplinary measures, but Cornell refused to divulge the specifics, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.