The former Cornell University student who accused seven men of sexually assaulting her at a fraternity house in 2024 recently expressed her feelings of being "unsupported and disbelieved" by the university's president, Michael Kotlikoff. In a letter addressed to the Cornell faculty senate, which was published by the New York Times on Tuesday, she stated her intention to share information that she believed "may be relevant" as the panel considers a vote of no confidence in the school's administration.
Allegations and Concerns
Identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe, the student detailed a second-hand account of a comment allegedly made by Kotlikoff during a meeting with the leader of her sorority, Tri Delta. This comment was purportedly made shortly after she reported the sexual assault to the university in 2024. Jane Doe wrote that she was informed Kotlikoff's initial response was, "Why did she wait so long to report it?"
A spokesperson for Cornell responded on Tuesday, stating that the account of Kotlikoff's question was incorrect, based on a documented first-hand account. The spokesperson clarified:
“"The question 'why did it take so long for the assault to be reported' was directed at bystanders who did not use Cornell’s anonymous tip line, despite ongoing social media activity about the incident in October 2024. He was not questioning Jane Doe’s reporting."
Impact on Jane Doe
In her letter, dated 14 October, Jane Doe expressed that the comments attributed to Kotlikoff diminished her confidence in the administration's ability to handle her experience with the understanding and sensitivity she expected from her dream school. She noted that her sorority president had shared the conversation with her "with concern" and that her sister interpreted Kotlikoff's question as doubt regarding the veracity of her story.
