Cornell Faculty Senate Votes No Confidence in Administration

Cornell’s faculty senate passed a symbolic resolution of no confidence in the university’s central administration, criticizing its ability to address campus sexual assault. The vote was 75-50, with five abstentions and five members not voting, according to the reported results. Cornell’s Board of Trustees said it continued to support President Michael Kotlikoff and his administration. The resolution does not name individual leaders or specify particular mistakes. It states that the senate has no confidence in the central administration’s ability to address the ongoing sexual-assault crisis. Supporters said the measure was intended to signal that the issue requires a broader response. The vote followed a lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student, who alleges she was gang raped at a fraternity house in 2024. The men she accused deny wrongdoing, and none has been criminally charged, according to the report. Cornell’s Title IX office investigated the allegations beginning in 2024 and imposed sanctions on the seven men: two were expelled, two were suspended and three received lesser penalties. Some critics have said the sanctions were insufficient and questioned the university’s...