Cornell Governance: Faculty Launch Vote on President

A split in the academic community at Cornell University has forced a formal challenge against the top administration. Faculty members are preparing to cast ballots on a resolution that would express a lack of trust in the university’s current leadership. This move follows months of tension regarding how the institution managed a sexual assault complaint filed in 2024.

The catalyst for the vote was a contentious session held on October 14. During that closed-door meeting, professors confronted Michael Kotlikoff, who has served as Cornell’s president since 2025. An audio recording obtained by The Associated Press shows Kotlikoff acknowledging specific errors in the process while defending his broader management style. He urged staff to support an independent review and requested time to change the culture of student social organizations.

The dispute centers on a lawsuit filed last month by a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe. Her court documents allege that seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024. She claims the university failed to handle her complaints effectively. All seven men named in the suit have denied the allegations. The local district attorney declined to pursue criminal charges, causing the police investigation to stall.

In the recording, Kotlikoff admitted he had not read the police report on the assault. He explained that the investigation was confidential and that university policy prevents top administrators from intervening in criminal proceedings. He rejected the notion that he was indifferent to the case. “I really reject the idea that I had no interest in it or was not concerned about it,” he told the senate. He argued that replacing the president would damage the university’s reputation and that experienced leadership is necessary to fix existing problems.

Faculty members also raised issues regarding the return of a disciplined student to campus. They noted that the student was placed in a shared dorm room with a roommate who did not know about the disciplinary history. After Kotlikoff left the meeting, several speakers stated they had lost confidence in the administration’s ability to address sexual assault. Others warned that a quick vote might not fix the underlying systemic issues.

The Faculty Senate will meet at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday to finish the debate. The session will remain closed to the public. Electronic voting will begin immediately after the meeting and continue until November 6. Individual votes will remain anonymous. Although the faculty vote is largely symbolic, it could pressure the trustees, who hold the final authority over university leadership.

Kotlikoff became interim president in July 2024 and was confirmed in the role last year. His tenure has included a strike by dining and custodial workers. He also faced criticism for paying a $60 million settlement related to civil rights investigations from the Trump administration. Activists have further accused his administration of limiting campus protests.