The former Cornell student known as Jane Doe told faculty leaders she felt "unsupported" and "disbelieved" by President Michael Kotlikoff, sharing a secondhand account of a disputed comment as the Faculty Senate prepares to consider a no-confidence resolution.
Her Oct. 14 letter described a question about the timing of an assault report, according to The New York Times. Cornell told the newspaper the question concerned bystanders who had not used its anonymous tip line despite social media discussion of the incident in October 2024. "He was not questioning Jane Doe's reporting," the university said.
The two-page letter adds Doe's account to the debate over Cornell's response to her lawsuit accusing seven former Chi Phi fraternity members of sexual assault. The men deny wrongdoing, and none had been criminally charged, the Times reported Tuesday.
Doe describes a loss of trust in Cornell's leadership
Doe, now 22, wrote that the then-president of her sorority relayed a conversation with Kotlikoff from a January 2025 meeting. She said she understood his initial response to have been a question about why she had waited to report the assault.
The sorority leader interpreted the question as doubt about Doe's account, according to the letter. Doe wrote that hearing the account undermined her confidence that the administration would treat her experience with sensitivity and fairness. She left Cornell after the incident.
The Times reported that Cornell's account relied on notes another administrator took at the January meeting, a gathering with sorority representatives while Kotlikoff was interim president.
Doe says the assault occurred Oct. 19 and 20, 2024, at the Chi Phi house. She reported it to campus police Nov. 8, about three weeks later, triggering a Title IX investigation. Her civil lawsuit names Cornell, Chi Phi, seven former fraternity members and her sorority, Delta Delta Delta, and alleges she was drugged and raped over several hours.
Faculty debate is scheduled for Oct. 28
The Times reported that Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, authenticated the letter and sent it to the Faculty Senate speaker and Dean of Faculty Chris Schaffer. Giuffra said she wanted faculty to have the information while weighing their response to Kotlikoff's administration.
Doe did not tell senators how to vote. The senate is scheduled to debate the no-confidence resolution Oct. 28, with voting continuing for several days afterward.
The senate cannot remove university officials, but a no-confidence vote would rebuke the administration. Cornell's Board of Trustees has supported Kotlikoff amid calls for his resignation, the Times reported.
Kotlikoff has said he did not know the details of Doe's case after her initial report but took claims of drug- and alcohol-fueled abuse seriously, pointing to the presidential task force on campus sexual assault he created in February 2025.
According to the Times, Cornell expelled two of the men, suspended two and imposed lighter sanctions on the other three.
County lawmakers consider a $200,000 audit tonight
Tompkins County lawmakers will consider spending up to $200,000 on an independent review of the district attorney's handling of sexual-assault cases tonight, while a separate county legal review examines tax exemptions for Cornell-owned fraternity properties.
The audit proposal, introduced by Legislator Irene Weiser and reported Monday by CNY Central, is on the Legislature's Oct. 20 agenda. It would pair an outside examination of prosecution practices with requests for stronger victim support, evidence review and communication policies.
Proposed audit would reach beyond the Doe case
Under the resolution scheduled for consideration, the county would use up to $200,000 from its 2026 contingency fund to hire an independent investigator or firm through county procurement procedures.
The review would cover the district attorney's policies, practices, procedures and handling of sexual-assault cases. Its scope includes cases in which charges were declined, prosecution was not pursued, charges were dismissed or a prosecution was otherwise discontinued.
The investigator would look for patterns or disparities in case review, charging decisions, communication with victims and case outcomes. Findings and recommendations for corrective action and policy changes would go to the Legislature, with victim-identifying information, grand jury material and other legally protected information safeguarded.
Weiser's proposal cites questions raised by the handling of Doe's allegations, including whether available evidence was fully reviewed and how prosecutors communicated with victims and law enforcement. It invokes the Legislature's authority under the county charter to conduct studies and investigations supporting its legislative work.
The proposal concerns office policies, administration and treatment of victims while leaving charging decisions in individual cases to prosecutors.
Lawmakers seek changes in evidence review and victim communication
The resolution would urgently request that the district attorney adopt victim-centered practices, including assigning sexual-assault cases to prosecutors with specialized training and keeping the same prosecutor on a case whenever practical.
It calls for the reviewing prosecutor and the office's victim advocate to meet directly with a person reporting sexual misconduct, including before a final decision not to pursue charges. Exceptions would apply if the person declines or exceptional circumstances make a meeting impractical.
The proposal also seeks participation by community-based advocates whenever possible and consultation with the district attorney's victim advocate at significant stages of a case.
Before a final charging decision, prosecutors would be asked to review all reasonably available, relevant investigative evidence or document why particular evidence was not reviewed. A decision not to proceed would prompt direct notification and an opportunity for the victim to meet with a prosecutor and receive an explanation.
Public statements would be expected to protect privacy and avoid disparaging victims. When comment is necessary and legally permissible, the proposal seeks an opportunity for a victim or representative to review statements about the victim's account before release.
Copies of the resolution would be sent to Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Josh Riley, Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Sen. Lea Webb and Assemblywoman Anna Kelles.
Eight Cornell-owned houses have about $12.85 million in market value
A separate CNY Central assessment-records review published Tuesday identified eight Cornell-owned fraternity properties with a combined estimated market value of approximately $12.85 million. All eight were listed as wholly exempt from city, county and school property taxes under educational exemptions.
Seven recognized fraternity houses account for more than $11.2 million of that value, the station reported. Adding the dormant Chi Phi property at 107 Edgemoor Lane brings the total to about $12.85 million. Cornell remains its listed owner, and its estimated market value is approximately $1.62 million.
The station also identified Delta Upsilon's house at 6 South Ave., valued at approximately $1.87 million, and Delta Kappa Epsilon's house at 13 South Ave., valued at approximately $1.65 million. Both are listed as wholly exempt from local property taxes.
The Legislature unanimously directed County Attorney Maury Josephson on Oct. 6 to examine whether Cornell-owned fraternity and other Greek-letter organization properties should qualify for exemptions. Josephson told lawmakers that university ownership does not automatically establish eligibility and that his office could examine arguments for both taxation and continued exemption.
The county's account of that meeting says legislators also questioned whether assessments accurately reflect property values and how different types of university-owned Greek housing should be considered. CNY Central reported that the review will examine current uses and the legal basis for exemptions that assessment officials say have existed for decades following earlier Cornell-Ithaca litigation.
Ithaca resident Harry Canning, a former fraternity member at another college, told CNY Central he questioned why fraternity houses should receive educational tax exemptions when private homes and apartments pay taxes. The properties remain exempt while the legal review proceeds.
Criminal investigation and Cornell review continue separately
As FL1 previously reported, Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James to lead the criminal investigation Oct. 1 after criticizing District Attorney Matthew Van Houten's handling of the case. Van Houten has maintained that Cornell police did not provide a full account; Doe's lawyers have disputed the handling of her initial report.
Cornell says campus police investigated in 2024 and gave county prosecutors Doe's sworn statement and a Snapchat screenshot. In its FAQ updated Oct. 19, the university says Chi Phi's chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is leading the university's outside review of how it prevents and responds to sexual misconduct, including its handling of Doe's allegations, campus policing and institutional oversight.
Tonight's Legislature meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Legislature Chambers at the Governor Daniel D. Tompkins Building, 121 E. Court St., second floor, in Ithaca. The audit resolution is listed under individual member-filed resolutions.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
