# Cornell student says president doubted her rape claim

> Jane Doe alleges Cornell's president questioned why she waited weeks to report being gang-raped at a fraternity party in October 2024.
- Title: Cornell student says president doubted her rape claim
- Summary: Jane Doe alleges Cornell's president questioned why she waited weeks to report being gang-raped at a fraternity party in October 2024. A Cornell student…
- Keywords: cornell university, jane doe, michael kotlikoff, gang rape, chi phi fraternity, sexual assault, campus safety, ithaca new york, news, world, Cornell, student
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwn73z5gnnrro
- Published: 2026-10-20T19:08:06.785+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: cornell university, jane doe, michael kotlikoff, gang rape, chi phi fraternity, sexual assault, campus safety, ithaca new york, news, world
## Student alleges president doubted her
Jane Doe says Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff questioned why she waited weeks to report being gang-raped at a fraternity party, making her feel unsupported.

> "unsupported and disbelieved" by the university president
## The alleged assault and reporting
Doe alleges she was raped by several men in October twenty twenty-four at a Chi Phi fraternity party. She reported it to campus police on November eighth, about three weeks later.
## What Kotlikoff allegedly asked
In a letter dated October fourteenth, Doe said Kotlikoff's initial response was along the lines of, "Why did she wait so long to report it?" She received this as a second-hand account.

> "Why did she wait so long to report it?"
## Cornell disputes the account
Cornell says Kotlikoff's question about reporting delay was directed at bystanders who did not use the anonymous tip line, not at Jane Doe herself. He was not questioning her reporting.
## Faculty grilled Kotlikoff last week
At a faculty senate meeting last Wednesday, staff said they were deeply disturbed by Kotlikoff's handling of the case and accused him of lacking emotional response to the alleged assault.
## Faculty to vote on his leadership
The faculty senate scheduled a no-confidence vote on Kotlikoff's leadership for October twenty-eighth. Paul Ortiz, a labour history professor, accused Cornell of treating rape as a public relations problem.

> as more of a 'PR problem' than a heinous crime
## Key takeaway

A Cornell student alleges President Michael Kotlikoff questioned her delay in reporting a gang rape, prompting faculty to vote on his leadership.