Tompkins County lawmakers approved $200,000 Tuesday for an independent review of how the district attorney's office handles sexual misconduct cases, the latest government action stemming from the Cornell Seven case, NewsChannel 9 reported.
Separately, Jane Doe's lawyers moved to drop a former Chi Phi fraternity president from her civil lawsuit, while her letter to Cornell faculty leaders described a disputed account of President Michael Kotlikoff's response to her assault report.
The lawsuit accuses seven former fraternity members of sexual assault in October 2024; the men deny wrongdoing, and no criminal charges had been announced in the latest reports.
County approves outside review in 14-2 vote
The Legislature voted 14-2 to authorize an outside investigator or firm to examine the district attorney's policies, practices and procedures involving sexual misconduct, NewsChannel 9 reported.
The approval followed the failure of a similarly worded audit proposal. Legislator Greg Mezey then sought revised language describing the work as a comprehensive review focused on office policies and procedures.
District Attorney Matthew Van Houten supported the review at Tuesday's meeting and said he would cooperate. He said an independent examination could identify improvements, while noting that his office does not directly investigate cases.
The decision advances the spending proposal FL1 previewed Tuesday.
Filing seeks to end claims against former chapter president
Doe's lawyers filed papers Oct. 20 seeking to discontinue her claims against the former Chi Phi president with prejudice, CNY Central reported. That would prevent her from bringing the same claims against him again.
The station reported that the original complaint accused him of failing to supervise the fraternity and protect Doe while she was in the house. It did not accuse him of taking part in the sexual assault.
The filing concerns that defendant, not the claims against Cornell, affiliated organizations or the men accused of assaulting Doe.
In our initial coverage of the September lawsuit, we reported that Doe sought compensatory and punitive damages and a jury trial. Her claims extend beyond the accused students to the institutions and organizations she says failed to protect her.
Doe's letter and Cornell's response
Doe's Oct. 14 letter to Faculty Senate leaders describes a secondhand account from the then-president of Cornell's Tri Delta sorority. According to the letter reproduced by CNY Central, the sorority leader told Doe that Kotlikoff had questioned why she waited to report the assault.
Doe wrote that the account left her feeling unsupported and diminished her trust in the administration's ability to respond fairly and sensitively. She asked senators to consider or investigate the information, rather than directing how they should vote on a proposed no-confidence resolution.
Cornell disputes that interpretation. As FL1 reported Tuesday, citing The New York Times, the university said Kotlikoff's question concerned bystanders who had not used an anonymous tip line despite social media discussion of the incident. Cornell said he was not questioning Doe's reporting.
The Faculty Senate began debating the no-confidence proposal Oct. 14. Its published schedule calls for further debate Oct. 28, followed by electronic voting. A vote would express faculty dissatisfaction, not remove university officials.
How the case reached this point
Doe says she was pressured to take drugs and sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi house during the night of Oct. 19 and early Oct. 20, 2024. She reported the incident to Cornell police Nov. 8, according to our earlier coverage. Her civil lawsuit was filed in September 2026.
The handling of that initial report remains disputed. Van Houten has maintained that campus police did not give prosecutors a full account; Doe's lawyers have challenged how her initial report was recorded and handled. Cornell says police investigated and gave prosecutors Doe's sworn statement and a Snapchat screenshot.
Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed Attorney General Letitia James to lead the criminal investigation Oct. 1 after criticizing the local response. That investigation is separate from the civil lawsuit and the newly approved county review.
Cornell's disciplinary process produced sanctions including suspensions and expulsions. 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 Cornell's outside review of its response to sexual misconduct, including the Doe case, campus policing, student support, discipline and institutional oversight, as our earlier reporting detailed.
Kotlikoff's Oct. 13 measures suspended parties and social events in Interfraternity Council houses for the rest of the 2026-27 academic year. Cornell also announced a new case manager, expanded victim-advocate support and additional prevention programs.
Other disputes remain before the courts. Doe's lawyer has opposed a proposed gag order, while Cornell sought clearer limits and witness privacy protections. Separately, an Oct. 29 argument is scheduled on a civil defendant's challenge to James' appointment to lead the criminal investigation.
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