Cornell faculty begin symbolic no-confidence vote

Cornell University faculty are set to begin an anonymous electronic vote on a symbolic no-confidence resolution over the central administration’s response to sexual assault. Voting follows a Faculty Senate meeting on October 28 and will remain open through November 6; the result is pending. The resolution asks whether the Faculty Senate has no confidence in the central administration’s ability to effectively address sexual assault at Cornell. The vote cannot force action, but could send a message to trustees, who decide university leadership, and add pressure for changes. The vote follows months of faculty scrutiny of the university’s handling of allegations by a former student identified in court documents as Jane Doe. In a lawsuit filed last month, she alleges that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. The seven men deny the allegations. At an October 14 Faculty Senate meeting, President Michael Kotlikoff defended the administration’s response and said he needed time to implement reforms. An audio recording of the closed meeting captured him acknowledging missteps and arguing that...