Following a rape scandal that shook the Cornell University campus, the school’s faculty has passed a vote of no confidence in the administration over how the case was handled.
The largely symbolic vote took place on the campus Friday, showing that the faculty want a new administrative approach to how the allegations were handled.
On Sept. 16, Jane Doe filed a civil suit against the college, accusing seven fraternity members of drugging and gang-raping her in 2024.
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The Friday resolution was passed by a vote of 75-50, with five abstentions and five members not voting, according to The New York Times.
The resolution read that those voting against the administration had “no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University.”
Cornell’s board of trustees released a statement following the vote, saying that it still has faith in the school’s president, Michael I. Kotlikoff.
“The Board of Trustees remains confident that President Kotlikoff and his administration are the right leaders to thoughtfully and comprehensively address the serious problem of sexual assault on our campus,” wrote Anne Smalling, the chair of the board of trustees.
Critics of Cornell have said the administration waited too long to address the accusations after it was first reported in September. Mr. Kotlikoff waited two weeks to make a statement after the reports entered the public eye.
Once scrutiny intensified on the administration, Mr. Kotlikoff suspended fraternity parties on Oct. 13.
Some of the defendants in the case have denied the charges or claimed that the sexual activity with Jane Doe was consensual.
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