The Case of the ‘Cornell 7’ and What It Means for Cornell’s Future

On the night of October 19 and into the morning of October 20, 2024, Cornell student Jane Doe claims to have been raped by members of the Chi Phi fraternity house. It took almost two years for her allegations to become public in a civil lawsuit.  

According to the New York Times, Doe, who was under 21 years old at the time, had gotten drunk at her sorority house, Tri-Delta. She proceeded to drink more at two different local bars, Moonies Bar & Nightclub and Lot 10, before walking over to the Chi Phi house to meet her friend, Matthew Ingalls. Once there, the New York Times’ timeline of the case says she was allegedly coerced into taking ketamine. She then claims that several men proceeded to sexually assault her.

Two days after the events of that night, Doe and Jonathan Newell, who was among those accused of sexual assault, traded texts. Both Newell and Ingalls apologized for not preventing the situation. Doe texted back, saying that “none of the sexual stuff was illegal” and that she “really liked” being with both Ingalls and Newell. However, she later talked to an unnamed sorority sister, a junior at Cornell, about rumors regarding her sexual activity that Doe said were circulating. The sorority sister said to investigators that Doe jokingly added that the rumors were true. The sorority sister also told investigators that, based on her personal experiences, she believed Doe had not fully processed what had happened. Doe’s roommate said the same, telling investigators that Doe seemed to be “in shock”.

That same day, Nov. 3, 2024, she sent a text to Ingalls. “90% of what happened that night was not consensual,” she said. In her previous texts, Doe said she enjoyed being with Ingalls and Newell, but in her later texts, she says she did not give consent.

However, under New York’s Penal Law, the line between whether it was consensual sex or not is unclear. The Tompkins County District Attorney Office provided a legal analysis of Jane Doe’s statement, given to the office in November 2024 by the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD). The office stated that criminal charges were declined because the sex was consensual under the law. 

The statement given to the District Attorney’s Office did not encase Doe’s full story. On Nov. 8, 2024, Doe filed a police report with the CUPD, alleging sexual assault and coerced drug use. “I can say with 100% confidence that I was raped,” Doe said. This detail was omitted from the statement given to the District Attorney’s Office.

Cornell opened a Title IX investigation in January 2025, and held at least 12 hearings that May. On Sept. 16, 2026, Doe filed a lawsuit against Cornell and its leaders, the Chi Phi fraternity, the seven men she accused of sexual assault and her sorority, among others. According to the Cornell Daily Sun, Doe is accusing the university of negligence, negligent supervision, breach of contract, violations of state human rights and education laws and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Doe’s sorority, Delta Delta Delta, is being accused of negligence and breach of contact, Chi Phi is being accused of negligent supervision and the seven students are being accused of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also accused Moonies Bar & Nightclub of violating the New York Dram Shop Act.

In addition to the lawsuit, New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered an investigation into the allegations on Oct. 1, 2026, appointing New York’s attorney general, Laetitia James, as special prosecutor. Four defendants have asked for James’ removal from the case, citing an X post, where James seemed to be biased in favor of Doe. 

On Nov. 4, 2026, James appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former federal prosecutor, to lead a team of lawyers from both the attorney general’s office and Boies Schiller Flexner, where Kelly is said to be a partner. Kelly, a Cornell graduate, has overseen high-profile sexual assault cases like those of Sean “Diddy” Combs. Kelly and her team will be reporting to James. Separately, on Oct. 6, 2026, Cornell hired former acting U.S. attorney general Sally Yates to head an internal review of Doe’s allegations and examine school policies.

The Cornell Daily Sun first reported on the allegations and subsequent lawsuit on Sept. 18, 2026. In an editorial, the Daily Sun brought Cornell’s leadership under fire, calling for more transparency. Cornell Law School alumnus Michael Tollini is also questioning Cornell’s response to Doe’s claims.

“Cornell’s handling of the allegations has just been very disappointing,” Tollini said. “The process for handling serious allegations, like sexual assault, has to be robust, transparent and fair,” he said. “The Cornell response missed the mark on perhaps all three of those.”

Among Cornell’s responses to the case has been banning parties at fraternity houses through the end of the school year, sparking outrage from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who wrote a letter addressed to Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff, claiming that Kotlikoff’s ban violates students’ right to freedom of association. A Cornell junior Jarin Sanzana said to the New York Times that “A lot of people feel like they are missing out on the college experience.” Sanzana also said that some of her closest friends who had previously gone to fraternity parties were frustrated with the collective punishment.

Beyond criticism from current and former students, Cornell also faces potential issues with future applicants. As an Ivy League school, Cornell has an acceptance rate of 9.2% for the Class of 2030 according to the University Factbook. This low acceptance rate helps the school retain its exclusive and competitive image. But The Madeira School freshman Lily Williamson, located in McLean, Virginia, is crossing Cornell off her list after hearing about the Jane Doe case. “I don’t think I will [apply] anymore,” Williamson said. “That just contradicts my own morals.”

Cornell University was Williamson’s dream school. “I wanted to go so bad,” she said on Oct. 21, 2026. “We were gonna visit this upcoming weekend”. 

The problem of sexual assault is not happening solely at Cornell. Universities around the country are experiencing the same issues. According to BestColleges, the total number of reported sexual assault offenses at higher education institutions increased by 23% from 2015 to 2021. Another case, similar to Doe’s in the reactions of the public, is that of a Louisiana State University (LSU) student known as Kendall Francis, who was allegedly raped by an LSU football player, defensive end Damien Shanklin. Shanklin received four semesters of probation and continued to play football, according to NBC News. “One thing that this controversy at Cornell has made clear is that rates of sexual assault on and off campus are unacceptably high”, Tollini said. “And I suspect that’s not unique to Cornell.”

Cases like Doe’s have allowed other women to speak up about their own experiences. The hashtag #IAmJaneDoe began as an effort to keep Doe’s identity secret by confusing AI algorithms with an influx of people claiming to be Jane Doe. The hashtag trended on social media platforms like Instagram, then evolved into a way for women to share their own stories and stand in solidarity with the real Jane Doe. “You need to shine a light on it, because with this comes big momentum,” Williamson said, referring to the amount of public awareness and support Jane Doe received. “That momentum can shape future laws to protect women.”

Written by Autumn Zou

Graphic by Oviyaa Ramesh