Defending academic freedom, shared governance, the economic security, the rights of all those who teach or conduct research in higher education, advocating for the interests of the broader community, whether in Ithaca, Tompkins County, or beyond, and protecting higher education as a public good
Cornell faculty members voted decisively to hold the Cornell central administration accountable for its failure to effectively address the crisis of sexual assault at the University.
The Faculty Senate Resolution of No Confidence in the Cornell Central Administration, sponsored by nearly 200 Cornell faculty members, including 19 Cornell Faculty Senators, passed by a margin of 75 to 50. In the 56 years since the establishment of the Faculty Senate at Cornell, the body has never taken such a significant step to condemn the actions of leadership. The vote represents the voices of faculty from across every department in every school across the University, and is a signal to our students that we stand with them in working toward a Cornell that we can all be proud of.
The vote is an unprecedented opportunity for the University to reckon with the endemic problem of sexual assault by taking bold steps. We renew our call for the resignations of President Michael Kotlikoff, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi, and other responsible administrators who have been the source of the faculty’s loss of confidence by mishandling responses to alarming rates of sexual assault. President Kotlikoff and VP Lombardi have failed in their attention to student well-being and accountability. For Cornell to restore good faith and confidence in democratic governance for shaping positive reforms, there must be a change in leadership.
We also call on the Board of Trustees to affirm the Faculty Senate’s vote and thereby comply with its obligation to shared and democratic governance at Cornell. In the October 14th Faculty Senate meeting, President Kotlikoff made his case against the “no confidence” resolution by stating that he has “the support of the trustees.” The next day, the New York Times reported that emeritus trustee and donor John Dyson argued, “The trustees run the university legally and in fact. The faculty think they do, but they don’t, and I’m quite sure the trustees have great confidence in Mike Kotlikoff, he’s a very special, high quality person.” In the name of shared governance and moving forward, the Board of Trustees must acknowledge the accountability of Cornell’s central administration and disavow Dyson’s assertion.
Only in these ways can the University demonstrate that it is serious about remedying past failures, holding leadership responsible, and rebuilding trust.
A powerful letter from colleagues in science and engineering. Read the full letter here.
We argue that President Kotlikoff’s resignation would improve stability by resolving an on-going crisis of legitimacy and recognizing a failure of leadership. We do not support waiting for the results of the independent review being led by Sally Yates. While we hope this report will bring insights we can build on in the future, and may possibly reveal that leadership believed they were following an appropriate process at the time, we know now that the past process was not sufficient. No outcome of the Special Committee would change our opinion that we urgently need to act now to restore confidence in Cornell leadership, both locally with our students and faculty, and externally in the greater international community.
On October 14, 2026, the Cornell Faculty Senate opened debate on a resolution of no confidence in the Cornell central administration. On October 28, 2026, the Cornell AAUP Chapter voted to endorse three sets of demands for immediate resignations and long term reforms.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ITHACA, NY – Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Over the past several weeks, one revelation after another stemming from the horrifying Chi Phi sexual assault case have revealed deep institutional corrosion in our university. While the details of the Jane Doe case are shocking, the administration’s response has been sadly predictable. In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 assault, the administration failed to ensure Jane Doe’s well-being, failed to energetically pursue justice, and failed to reflect on its own glaring shortcomings. Driven by a logic of risk-management, the worst instincts in Day Hall prevailed: the severity of the case was minimized, the community was denied adequate transparency about the determinations of the judicial processes, while a slow-moving task force made insufficient recommendations, which have still not been fully implemented.From today’s perspective, the unavoidable conclusion is that the university hoped Jane Doe would remain silent and the problem would go away.
The problem has emphatically not disappeared. Cornell has been at the center of national media attention, and the administration’s opacity and reactionary defensiveness has turned a case of sexual assault into a systemic crisis for the entire university. The thousands of Cornellians who bravely showed up to demonstrate are testament to the shattered trust between the administration and the rest of campus. At a moment when our university, and higher education more broadly, is under intense public scrutiny and dealing with open hostility from the federal government, it is more important than ever that we have confidence in our leaders.
Fundamental reforms to the university and its approach to handling sexual assault are necessary to address this systemic crisis. President Kotlikoff’s personal apology and October 13 announcement of new measures demonstrates that the campus mobilization is beginning to have real effects. Nonetheless, this announcement does nothing to diminish the fact that his administration failed to act with any urgency during the two years before this case became a public relations nightmare. We have seen the same pattern of inaction and secrecy with the Weill Cornell sexual abuse lawsuit. Given this administration’s track record, we are skeptical of their commitment to systemic change once the media storm subsides. Below, we make three demands that are necessary first steps in righting the ship. In all three areas—leadership selection, institutional reform, and Greek life—we insist that change be a democratic process rooted in shared governance. The students, faculty, staff, and workers that make this university what it is must have a decisive say in the future of Cornell.
As the Committee on the Future of the American University report argued, “Trust is not simply a communication problem, it is a relationship problem.” The top-down relationship pursued by this administration and the board of trustees has failed; now we must democratically rebuild Cornell, together.
As the Committee on the Future of the American University report argued, “Trust is not simply a communication problem, it is a relationship problem.” The top-down relationship pursued by this administration and the board of trustees has failed; now we must democratically rebuild Cornell, together.
1. Resignations
We call for the resignation of President Kotlikoff, Vice President for Student & Campus Life Lombardi, and other responsible administrators who have mishandled issues of campus assault and accountability.
We are involved with current discussion among Cornell Faculty about considering an expression of ‘no confidence’ in current Cornell leadership. We believe that Pres. Kotlikoff and VP Lombardi have demonstrated failure in their attention to equitable student well-being and accountability concerns, which is the top responsibility of top leaders. We also believe that for the Cornell community to take steps toward restoring good faith and democratic buy-in for shaping positive reforms, there needs to be a leadership change to show that Cornell is serious about admitting failure, executive responsibility, and rebuilding trust.
2. Institutional & culture change
Institutional and cultural change must be student- and faculty-led as part of a democratic process that includes all governance bodies – the Student Assembly, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, Faculty Senate, Employee Assembly, University Assembly, Cornell Graduate Students United-UE, and UAW 2300 – and experts from within and external to Cornell.
Programs for prevention of sexual violence have been weakened or hollowed out. The crisis of safety on campus requires a multi-level overhaul of programs and training that support institutional and cultural change. Student engagement is integral to leading culture change work on campus and should be supported with institutional and financial resources. We demand that Cornell devote large-scale financial and organizational resources to rebuild and expand infrastructures at multiple levels for prevention, supportive measures, and culture change related to sexual violence, with substantial resources and support for student-led initiatives.
Existing reporting, investigation, and adjudication processes (on and off campus) have failed survivors. CUPD has an inherent conflict of interest that disqualifies them from investigating sexual violence cases. We demand a student- and faculty-led process to build an independent and reliable reporting, investigation, and adjudication system that centers survivors’ agency and needs.
3. Greek Life
We call for the immediate and permanent banning of Chi Phi and for the immediate suspension of all IFC-sponsored fraternities, not merely IFC parties, pending a comprehensive process of systemic review led by the Student Assembly and Faculty Senate, which must consider all possible outcomes, including a full ban on IFC organizations.
We are aware that this alone will not end the epidemic of sexual violence on campus. It must be part of a larger, more comprehensive approach, including, crucially, a victim-centered, trauma-informed process developed by students, faculty, and experts. However, we note that fraternity chapter houses are a significant site of sexual assault and that “Greek-affiliated” undergraduate women experience almost twice the rate of sexual assault as their non-Greek-affiliated peers.
We also note that, despite the many strengths of the Presidential Task Force on Sexual Assault’s Final Report (March 2026), every recommendation concerning Greek life focuses on “increased knowledge,” “improved communications,” “student empowerment,” and “accountability and behavior change.” None of these recommendations, laudable though they might be, recognizes these student organizations as an endemic site of sexual violence.
Finally, we note that the recently announced suspension of all parties and social events in IFC houses for the duration of the 2026-27 academic year promises a “thorough review of fraternity life … to determine whether and how it can safely continue.” Crucially, the language of the preceding statement is ambiguous. Although assessing “whether” IFC-related fraternity life can safely continue appears to put a permanent ban on fraternities on the table, the “and” in the sentence assumes the resumption of IFC-related Greek life, despite the fact that IFC fraternities have long been sites of sexual violence. We are demanding that the university make a permanent ban an explicit possible outcome of the review.
Taken from Randi Weingarten’s Instagram, and now reported on in the Daily Sun.
To the Cornell University Board of Trustees:
We write to you not only as leaders of two of the nations largest labor unions, but as proud Cornell University alumni who care deeply about the institution and the values it represents.
Cornell has a unique place in American higher education. Founded on the principle that “any person can find instruction in any study,” it has long stood tor opportunity, intellectual freedom, public service and the dignity of work. Its commitment to labor education and working people is not incidental to its history. It is part of what makes Cornell special
That is why the recent revelations surrounding President Michael Kotlikoff’s handling of allegations of sexual violence are so deeply troubling.
Today’s reporting has brought forward the account of a former Cornell student who described feeling unsupported and disbelieved by the very person entrusted with leading her university. While Cornell disputes her characterization of the president’s remarks, the questions raised about his judgment and response cannot be dismissed.
President Kotlikoff has acknowledged that he knew about the allegations but failed to personally follow up. For a university president, that failure of leadership is deeply troubling. Students who come forward to report sexual violence deserve to know that their university will take their allegations seriously protect their dignity and make their safety a priority.
These revelations raise fundamental questions about the judgment, compassion and accountability of Cornells highest ranking leader.
For these reasons, we are calling on the Board of Trustees to demand President Michael Kotlikoff’s resignation.
University presidents have a responsibility that extends beyond managing an institution. They arc entrusted with defending its mission, protecting its community and demonstrating the moral courage to stand up for its values, particularly when doing so is difficult.
Leadership requires more than carefully worded statements. It requires action, accountability and a willingness to stand with the people who make an institution what it is.
As labor leaders, we know that institutions are strongest when the voices of workers, educators and students arc respected. We also know that trust, once lost, cannot be restored simply by asking people to move forward.
Cornell’s faculty, staff, students and alumni deserve leadership that earns their confidence, respects their contributions and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the university’s founding principles.
Our call is not made lightly We understand the seriousness of asking a university president to step down. But our loyalty is to Cornell, to ensuring that Jane Doe and other victims of sexual assault get the accountability they seek, and to the generations of students, educators and workers who have made it an extraordinary institution, not to any one individual who happens to lead it.
An independent investigation and a thorough examination of the university’s response are essential. But those processes do not relieve the Board of its responsibility to assess whether President Kotlikoff can continue to lead with the trust and confidence this institution requires
The Board of Trustees has both the authority and the obligation to act when a president can no longer provide the leadership an institution needs.
We urge you to exercise that responsibility, seek President Kotlikoff’s resignation and begin the process of restoring trust in Cornell’s leadership.
Cornell deserves a president who will honor its past, defend its values and lead with the courage this moment demands.
The Cornell AAUP Chapter – representing faculty, researchers, librarians, instructors – is outraged by the sexual violence that was committed at Chi Phi in 2024. We call for the community to come together on Monday, October 5 at 4:30pm in Ho Plaza, to stand in support of the survivors of sexual violence.
We are outraged by the continued culture of misogyny and by the continued pervasiveness of violence against women at Cornell and at universities and colleges across the country. We are outraged that so many women at Cornell have reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact.
We are deeply disturbed by Cornell University administration’s response and communications to the community, initially in 2024 and now. Cornell administrators point community members to resources, but do not exercise leadership in creating space to process the harm, the outrage, and to change the culture of misogyny. In moments of crisis such as this, we need leaders, not administrators.
The Cornell administration’s responses reveal its failure to understand and respond appropriately to actual harm and threats to safety on campus. It has used its internal communications to issue elaborate accusations, and it has imposed excessive discipline against students for political protests where there was no threat of harm or violence. And yet, when it comes to sexual violence, Cornell’s communications have been oblique or silent, leaving the community frustrated, fearful, or angry about the administration’s lack of transparency about how it will take effective responses.
We stand in solidarity with victims of sexual violence. We are outraged by the treatment of Jane Doe. We stand in solidarity with student organizations who have been demanding better, with faculty, staff, and students who have been organizing spaces to process and demand change. News reports continue to reveal the way that the Cornell police not only egregiously mishandled, but intentionally omitted vital evidence to the Tompkins County District Attorney. .This is the most recent example of the systemic failure of Cornell to protect its community — from patients at Cornell Weill to Cornell students — from sexual violence. This system must change.
We urge the community to attend the rally at Ho Plaza, on Monday October 5, at 4:30pm. We urge the community to keep coming together in the weeks and months and years ahead, as we work together to hold our institutions accountable and to eradicate the culture of misogyny and violence.
Note: The statement was updated at 11:30am on Oct 1 to reflect recent reporting in the NYT.
