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Cornell University on Tuesday announced that all frat parties have been banned for the rest of the year as part of sweeping changes to address the reported gang rape of a drunk and drugged-up student.
Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff announced the ban along with a series of other safety changes as he conceded the Ivy League school “must do better” to achieve “meaningful and lasting change at Cornell.”
“I am deeply sorry for the harm Jane Doe suffered in 2024, and appalled that this act of sexual violence occurred within our Cornell community,” Kotlikoff said.
“We must meet this moment by acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action.”
Here’s the latest on the ‘Cornell 7’ frat probe:
- ‘Cornell 7’ accuser sent roommate 3-letter text during alleged gang rape, newly released messages show
- ‘Cornell 7’ lawyer demands gag order on accuser’s attorney over crucial issue
- Bill Maher calls for end to frats amid ‘Cornell 7’ saga: ‘Just ask the Catholic Church, ask the Taliban’
- ‘Cornell 7’ rape accuser detailed self-harm struggle weeks before alleged frat house attack: report
The first change was that “all parties and social events in Interfraternity Council (IFC) houses at Cornell will be suspended for the remainder of the 2026-2027 academic year,” the president said, warning of “zero tolerance for violations.”
“These measures will provide time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue.”
Roughly one-third of Cornell students are part of Greek life, and Dr. Kotlikoff admitted in a Tuesday interview that fraternity parties had become an even more central part of the student experience since the pandemic.
“There is an issue, post-Covid, of what are the options for students in a town like Ithaca. Many, many bars and venues went out of business and did not come back,” he told the New York Times.
As part of the new measures, campus police will hire “experienced, trauma-informed criminal investigators, who are independent of Cornell University,” to investigate sexual assault allegations and to prepare “comprehensive investigative summaries for the appropriate law enforcement agency,” the statement read.