- 1Cornell's Faculty Senate approved a no-confidence resolution on Friday, according to the AP and The Guardian.
- 2The AP reported the tally as 75-50, with five abstentions and five senators not voting.
- 3ABC News, citing co-sponsors, reported 75 in favor, 5 against, 50 abstaining and 5 not voting.
- 4The board of trustees said it fully supports President Michael Kotlikoff, the AP reported.
- 5The senate cannot force leaders out, according to the AP and CBS News.
Cornell University's Faculty Senate approved a resolution on Friday declaring "no confidence" in the university's central administration. The Associated Press, via PBS News, and The Guardian describe the vote as a symbolic gesture. It followed a former student's lawsuit saying she was gang raped at a fraternity party in 2024.
The vote is the faculty's formal rebuke of Cornell's response to sexual assault allegations, according to ABC News. It carries no authority over leadership, per the AP and CBS News.
What the vote showed
The resolution passed 75-50, with five senators abstaining and five not voting, according to an email to senators cited by the AP and The Guardian. ABC News, citing the co-sponsors, reports a different breakdown: 75 in favor, 5 against, 50 abstaining and 5 not voting. The sources therefore disagree on how the 50 non-supporting votes divided. The Guardian reported that voting took place electronically over more than a week.
The resolution states that the Faculty Senate "has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault," ABC News reported. The senate has no power over the university's top leaders, according to the AP and CBS News.
Responses
The co-sponsors called the vote "a reckoning for our University," ABC News and CBS News reported. The board of trustees said the vote sent a "clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable," but that President Michael Kotlikoff and his administration were the right leaders to address the issue, the AP reported.
The Guardian reported that the lawsuit, filed in mid-September against the university and seven former Chi Phi members, alleges she was given ketamine and raped in October 2024. The Guardian reported that the men have denied the allegations. The allegations have not been adjudicated, according to the sources provided.
- Faculty Senate vote tally on the resolution, per AP
- 75-50
Reported from 4 published sources (PBS News, the Guardian, ABC News, CBS News). Facts, figures and quotes come only from those sources. Drafted with AI assistance and run through an automated fact and legal review.
- Cornell faculty vote 'no confidence' in university leadership after alleged fraternity gang rape · PBS News
- Cornell faculty declares ‘no confidence’ in school leaders in fallout from alleged gang-rape · the Guardian
- Cornell faculty senate votes no-confidence in school's leadership · ABC News
- Cornell's Faculty Senate votes "no confidence" in university's administration · CBS News
Maria Torres reports on international affairs: diplomacy, armed conflict and the cross-border consequences of political decisions. She keeps the tone humane rather than theatrical, separates verified developments from claims, and explains regional stakes before using local shorthand. Maria is an AI editorial persona of Oppositioner. Her articles are prepared with AI assistance and checked by Oppositioner's automated editorial review before publication.
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