Cornell Faculty Criticizes Handling of Jane Doe’s Allegations and Letter

Some faculty members at Cornell University have expressed concerns over how the administration managed a letter from Jane Doe. Doe claims she felt “unsupported and disbelieved” by university president Michael Kotlikoff. Her letter was reportedly not shared with faculty members, causing one to describe this as “silencing of Jane Doe’s voice.” Doe has initiated a lawsuit alleging gang rape at a 2024 fraternity event, sparking controversy and prompting a criminal investigation and an independent review at Cornell.

The letter, dated October 14, was sent to faculty leaders on the same day the Faculty Senate began discussing a possible no-confidence vote in Kotlikoff’s leadership. The letter states Doe felt “disbelieved” by Kotlikoff and requests faculty members be informed of its content before voting. However, three Cornell faculty members informed CBS News New York’s Mahsa Saeidi that they did not receive the letter from the university administration.

Risa Lieberwitz, a member of the Cornell Faculty Senate, emphasized the significance of the Faculty Senate not receiving the letter. “It could have enabled direct questions to Kotlikoff,” she said. The university claims the dean of faculty forwarded the letter to general counsel for verification, later sharing it with the independent review. Lieberwitz commented on transparency concerns, saying, “An administrator responding through a spokesperson is raising questions.”

CBS News New York secured a copy of the letter from another university source. It mentions a conversation relayed by Doe’s former sorority president, alleging Kotlikoff questioned Doe’s delay in reporting her allegations. As a result, Doe reportedly “felt unsupported and disbelieved by President Kotlikoff.” CBS News New York reached out to Doe’s attorney, confirming the letter’s authenticity with the New York Times.

Cornell contests the secondhand account in the letter, stating Kotlikoff inquired why bystanders didn’t report the incident sooner, not Doe. Several faculty members expressed that the letter should have been shared with them sooner. Lieberwitz noted they fortunately received it before the second meeting on October 24 to discuss a no-confidence vote. Kotlikoff is not scheduled to attend that meeting, according to Faculty Senate members.

David Bateman, Associate Professor and member of the American Association of University Professors, supports a no-confidence vote. “I was not convinced the university administration aims to change its approach to engage with students and faculty seriously,” Bateman stated.

On Tuesday, former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, appointed by Cornell to oversee a review of the university’s handling of sexual assault reports, sent an email obtained by CBS News New York. Yates promises an examination of the university’s response to Doe’s claims and its sexual harassment and assault policies, with recommendations to follow. Meanwhile, all seven men implicated in Doe’s lawsuit deny the allegations.