Group violation: Cornell University forbids frat parties

A Cornell University suspended the parties in fraternities until at least the end of the school year 2026/2027, following the complaint of a group infringement in 2024.

The information, which is subject to extension to 2027 by evaluation, was given in a statement on Tuesday. In the note issued by the university president, Michael Kotlikoff, it is also mentioned that the case is now being investigated by the NYPD.

According to the statement, it can see here, from now on there will be a zero tolerance policy in the event of non-compliance with this standard, which will imply the suspension of some fraternity if it organizes any event.

“ Such measures will give time for a thorough analysis of life in Cornell's brotherhoods in order to determine whether – and in what way – it can remain safe,” Kotlikoff wrote.

Cornell University has over 20 fraternities. Asked by the Associated Press, the institution has not detailed further details about these zero tolerance measures, not being clear, for now, whether the ban on these parties extends to situations outside the university campus.

This isn't the first time Cornell has banned frat parties. In 2022, the university temporarily suspended all social events after reports of sexual assault and students were drugged in homes related to these groups.

Three years earlier, in 2019, a freshman, Antonio Tsialas, was found dead in a canyon after an alleged incident during an academic practice. The previous year, members of a fraternity fought among themselves to elect one who had had sex with overweight women.

In the note issued on Tuesday, the university president “deeply praised the suffering caused to Jane Doe [a fictional name used in the process] in 2024”. “I am appalled that this act of sexual violence occurred in our community of Cornell. Clearly, women on our campus continue to question their safety. We must face this moment in recognizing our failures and taking significant action,” Kotlikoff said, who spoke about it for the first time about a week ago.

It was announced earlier this month that the New York Attorney General will lead a special investigation into an alleged violation at Cornell University. It is the fact that it has been revealed that the campus police have omitted part of the victim's testimony in the case in question.

The case dates back to the night from 19 to 20 October 2024, at a party of the Chi Phi fraternity, where the young woman consumed alcohol and, according to her report, was pressured to consume ketamine by nasal route.

The woman claims that, under the influence of alcohol and an anesthetic, she was subsequently raped for several hours by seven students.

The complaint filed by the young woman’s lawyers argues that it took a few days to assimilate the event before submitting its version of the events to the Cornell University police.

According to Hochul, part of this statement was eventually omitted in the case transmission.

The university expressed support for sending the case to the court and rejected the accusations that the students involved were not punished.

According to Cornell, two of the students were expelled and, at no time, the penalties applied were limited to the preparation of a trial, as it was reported.

Four of the seven students admitted to having sexual relations with the young woman, but held that they were consensual.

The other three denied having participated in the denounced acts.