Cornell suspends frat parties after alleged gang rape

Cornell University has indefinitely suspended all fraternities, parties and social events for the remainder of the 2024 academic year following a reported gang rape at one of its all-male Greek organizations. The victim, identified only as Jane Doe, alleged that she was drugged, assaulted and raped by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff expressed deep regret for the harm suffered by the alleged victim, referring to her as Jane Doe. He called the incident "appalling" and stated that an independent review was being conducted to assess the university's response to the allegations. The suspension comes after accusations that Cornell failed to adequately punish the accused individuals.

Cornell named former US prosecutor Sally Yates to oversee the review, with measures including zero tolerance for fraternity social events and a dedicated staff member to support victims of sexual misconduct. Meanwhile, prosecutors have reopened an investigation into the alleged gang rape, with Governor Kathy Hochul appointing Attorney General Letitia James to lead the case.