Cornell Faculty Senate Passes No-Confidence Resolution: 55.6% in Favor, Over Handling of Sexual Assault Crisis
ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University's Faculty Senate approved a resolution of no confidence on Friday, November 6, in the central administration and President Michael Kotlikoff over the school's handling of alleged sexual assault on campus.
The resolution passed 75 to 50, with five senators abstaining and five not voting; 55.6 percent voted in favor and 37 percent against, clearing the 51 percent simple majority required. It was the first time the Faculty Senate has passed such a vote in its 56-year history.
The resolution states that the Faculty Senate has "no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University." It was introduced by Paul Ortiz, a professor of labor history, and drew the support of 18 faculty senators and 165 faculty members; Ortiz said he drafted it in response to hundreds of students who asked faculty to take a stand. Senators cast their votes between October 29 and November 6, after weeks of debate.
The resolution does not itself remove Kotlikoff or any other administrator — the Faculty Senate has no authority to dismiss the president; only the Board of Trustees does — and it did not call for his resignation. Board Chair Anne Smalling said in a statement that the trustees remain confident that Kotlikoff and his administration are "the right leaders to thoughtfully and comprehensively address the serious problem of sexual assault on our campus."
The dispute grew out of a lawsuit filed in September by a former student, identified only as Jane Doe, alleging that Cornell failed to protect her and adequately punish students after she was sexually assaulted during a fraternity house party in 2024. After the suit drew national attention, Cornell suspended fraternity parties for a year and commissioned an independent review by former acting Attorney General Sally Yates of the university's policies and response. Kotlikoff has been president since March 2025; the day before voting began, he said the university had added staff to its civil rights office, expanded sexual assault prevention education and hired staff focused on victim advocacy.
Source: Cornell University
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：康奈尔大学安德鲁·迪克森·怀特故居。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 3.0。 / Photo: The A.D. White House, Cornell University. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
