Cornell sex assault probe highlights campus ketamine use

An investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity has drawn attention to the illicit use of ketamine on college campuses. Fox News reported that a former student testified before a university hearing panel about her experience with the drug prior to an alleged sexual assault. [1]

The former student told the university panel that ketamine left her in a state of vague consciousness where she felt like her lights were on but no one was home. Dr. Stephanie Widmer, an addiction specialist in New York who spoke on Fox News, warned that the physiological effects of the drug can leave victims unaware of their surroundings. [1]

In September 2026, a former student filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University, its Chi Phi fraternity chapter, seven fraternity members, and her sorority, alleging she was drugged and gang-raped at the fraternity house in 2024. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Cornell University subsequently banned all fraternity parties for the remainder of the year, and university President Michael Kotlikoff issued a public apology. [3][5]