Cornell University has hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of its sexual assault policies. The decision follows intense campus protests and a September 2026 lawsuit by an anonymous student, Jane Doe, who alleges she was gang-raped by Chi Phi fraternity members in October 2024. While Cornell points to its closure of the fraternity and student suspensions, local officials and campus activists have condemned the university's response. New York Attorney General Letitia James is now leading a state-level criminal investigation into the matter.
Independent review led by Sally Yates
- ▪Sally Yates, currently a partner at the law firm King & Spalding, previously led a high-profile 2021 investigation for the U.S. Soccer Federation into systemic abuse and sexual misconduct within the National Women's Soccer League
- ▪Cornell's independent review led by Sally Yates will examine Cornell University's response to a 2024 sexual assault report, its disciplinary processes, campus police responses, and oversight of student organizations
- ▪Cornell University announced on October 6, 2026, that it has retained former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to lead an independent review of its sexual assault policies and procedures
Lawsuit filed by Jane Doe
- ▪Jane Doe's lawsuit alleges she was pressured into consuming drugs and alcohol before being sexually assaulted by Chi Phi fraternity members after becoming incapacitated
- ▪An anonymous former student, known as Jane Doe, filed a lawsuit last month accusing seven members of Cornell University's Chi Phi fraternity of gang-raping her in October 2024
Internal university investigation
- ▪All seven Chi Phi fraternity members denied Jane Doe's sexual assault allegations during Cornell University's internal investigation
- ▪Cornell University officials stated that their Title IX investigation resulted in the permanent closure of the Chi Phi fraternity chapter in 2024 and student disciplinary actions including expulsions and suspensions
Criminal investigations into the allegations
- ▪New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James to lead a criminal investigation into the 2024 sexual assault allegations against Chi Phi fraternity members
- ▪Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten announced he would reopen the criminal investigation into Jane Doe's gang rape allegations and present the case to a grand jury
Campus protests
- ▪Cornell University students, faculty, and supporters staged a mass protest on October 5, 2026, outside the Day Hall administration building to voice solidarity with Jane Doe, who alleges she was gang-raped in 2024
- ▪Protesters at the Cornell University rally on October 5, 2026, demanded that Cornell University take firmer action against sexual violence on campus
Criticism from Ithaca's mayor
- ▪Ithaca Mayor Robert G. Cantelmo criticized Cornell University's response to the Jane Doe sexual assault allegations as appalling and called for a ban on student event permits until the university updates its sexual violence policies
- ▪Ithaca Mayor Robert G. Cantelmo criticized Cornell University for failing to involve local police and failing to adequately discipline the alleged Chi Phi fraternity perpetrators
Debatable claims
- ▪Cornell's disciplinary actions against the Chi Phi fraternity were adequate
- ▪An external review is the best way to reform Cornell's sexual assault policies
- ▪Sally Yates's review of Cornell's sexual assault handling will be genuinely independent
- ▪Internal university investigations are an inadequate substitute for law enforcement in sexual assault cases
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