Cornell University bans fraternity parties following alleged gang rape

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff announced on Tuesday that all fraternity parties have been banned for the rest of the year. The New York Post reported that the decision comes as part of sweeping safety changes to address the alleged gang rape of a student. [1]

The New York Post reported that President Kotlikoff issued an apology for the harm suffered by the student, who is identified as Jane Doe, regarding the 2024 incident. Kotlikoff stated that the university fell short and must take meaningful action to achieve lasting change. [1]

Fraternities are social clubs at North American colleges and universities, often referred to as Greek life. Roughly one third of Cornell students participate in Greek life, according to the New York Post. [1][2]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, about 80 students staged a seven hour sit-in protest on campus over concerns that university leadership mishandled the investigation. The allegations involve seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity and an anonymous student, while newly surfaced video showed fraternity members claiming the encounter was consensual. [3][4]