Things are pretty heated at Cornell University right now. Thousands of students and faculty have been protesting, straight-up demanding President Michael Kotlikoff step down. The whole vibe is centered around a lawsuit filed by a former student, Jane Doe, who claims she was drugged and raped at a fraternity house back in 2024.
The anger isn't just in chants, though. Some students went and spray-painted "SMASH THE PATRIARCHY" on Day Hall, the building where the president's office is. They also covered up a security camera. In a statement to the Cornell Daily Sun, these students said they were protesting "global systems of power" and that property damage isn't violent, but condoning rape is. Lowkey, they were also referencing how pro-Palestine protesters apparently faced harsher consequences from the university back in 2024.
Cornell's spokesperson, Kyle Kimball, said while they get the frustration, damaging property isn't the way to go. They're investigating the vandalism, no cap.
This whole situation has put a spotlight on how colleges handle sexual assault allegations. According to Jane Doe's lawyers, only two guys from the Chi Phi fraternity were expelled after the 2024 incident, where she claims she was raped for seven hours. One guy was banned from campus, two got suspensions, and two others were told not to contact her and had to do some reflection papers. Her lawsuit claims the accused even got to submit essays to mitigate their actions, though the university says that's not quite right.
Students at the protest made it clear they feel unsupported, with one saying, "How much does it take for our university to stand with survivors?" A professor even got applause for saying, "Rape should not be inevitable."
Even the local DA, Matthew Van Houten, is under fire for how he handled the original allegations. He's reopened the case, saying Jane Doe's lawsuit allegations are "dramatically different" from her initial statement to police two years ago. Her attorney, though, is pushing back, saying the DA didn't investigate thoroughly.
To top it off, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed State Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to dig into the alleged gang rape.
President Kotlikoff did release a video message, acknowledging the need for change and saying the university will be taking a "serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life." It's giving the bare minimum, but it's a start, I guess.
Why it matters
This whole situation at Cornell highlights the ongoing, intense debate around how universities handle sexual assault cases, the role of fraternities, and student activism. The outrage is real, and it's forcing institutions to reckon with systemic issues that have been rent-free in student minds for too long.
