Cornell University bans frat parties, vows to address 'disturbing' campus culture

Fraternities on Cornell's campus will not be allowed to host parties or events for the rest of the academic year. Jeongyoon Han for NPR hide caption

Cornell University has banned parties and social events at fraternities for the rest of the school year and will bring sexual assault investigators into its police unit, in response to a former student's allegation of gang rape in 2024.

The changes came on Tuesday as the university said it is committed to addressing a "deeply disturbing" culture of drug and alcohol abuse, and a rise in sexual violence on campus following a civil lawsuit filed by a former student, Jane Doe, which set off national outrage and a crisis at Cornell.

"I am deeply sorry for the harm Jane Doe suffered in 2024, and appalled that this act of sexual violence occurred within our Cornell community," Michael I. Kotlikoff, who is Cornell's president, wrote in a letter addressed to the campus on Tuesday. "It is clear that women on our campus continue to question whether they are safe. We must meet this moment by acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action."

The lawsuit, which Doe filed nearly one month ago, alleges that Doe was plied with ketamine and was sexually assaulted by members of the Chi Phi fraternity during a party in October of 2024. The details of the allegations, which disclosed how fraternity members used a Snapchat group chat to discuss the woman and events at the party with openly crude language, sparked fury across the nation.

Doe's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, told news outlets that Doe has been sent death threats and police swarmed her family's home since she filed the lawsuit.

The administration's changes come after student groups organized protests last week on campus.

"The administration is clearly feeling the heat and needed to make a move," says John Hartnett, a sophomore at Cornell who has helped organize protests. He called the changes a "half measure," and said that banning frats was not a long term solution to systematic issues at the university.