Cornell University Engages Sally Yates to Review Sexual Misconduct Claims Handling

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Cornell University has announced that former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates will review the university's handling of sexual misconduct complaints. This decision follows significant public outcry regarding allegations of a gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024. The review will assess how Cornell investigates reports of sexual assault and harassment, the disciplinary process, and the responses of campus police, among other aspects. Trustee Chair Anne Meinig Smalling emphasized the importance of self-examination for the university. The announcement comes after a protest demanding accountability and transparency in response to a complaint made by a woman known publicly as Jane Doe, who reported being assaulted by multiple fraternity members after being pressured into consuming alcohol and drugs in November 2024. No criminal charges have been filed, but the Chi Phi fraternity chapter at Cornell has been shut down, and the university has expelled some students and suspended others. Yates will evaluate how the complaint was managed and the oversight of campus organizations. The woman has filed a lawsuit against the university and several former students, with some defendants claiming the sexual activity was consensual. The case has drawn national attention to the university's response, prompting New York's attorney general to initiate a criminal investigation and the state's governor to call for an independent review, which Yates will lead. Yates has a long career at the Justice Department, previously serving as the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta and gaining prominence for her actions during the Trump administration. Since leaving the DOJ, she has conducted independent investigations, including a notable inquiry into misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League, which concluded with findings of systemic abuse.