Jane Doe Said She Felt Unsupported by Cornell President
Sandego.net – Jane Doe said she felt unsupported and disbelieved after learning about an exchange involving Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff, according to a letter her attorneys sent to faculty leaders. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in court filings, alleged that the response to her sexual-assault report left her questioning whether university leaders understood her experience.
Doe filed a 101-page lawsuit against Cornell University last month, alleging she was sexually assaulted at a fraternity house in 2024. Her case has drawn renewed attention to how universities respond when students report sexual violence and has become part of a broader debate over Cornell’s leadership.
Letter Sent During Faculty Senate Deliberations
The letter was delivered to Cornell’s Dean of Faculty and the Speaker of the Faculty Senate on October 14, the same day the Faculty Senate considered a no-confidence measure concerning Kotlikoff’s leadership. Jane Doe said she felt the Senate should be aware of information that could be relevant to its deliberations.
According to the letter, the president of Doe’s sorority spoke with Kotlikoff after Doe disclosed the alleged assault. Doe wrote that Kotlikoff asked a question she understood as: “Why did she wait so long to report it?”
“It diminished my confidence in the administration’s ability to approach my experience with the understanding, sensitivity, and fairness I had hoped for and expected from what had been my dream school.”
Doe acknowledged that she learned about the conversation secondhand. Still, Jane Doe said she felt the reported question suggested doubt about her account and damaged her trust in Cornell’s administration.
Cornell Disputes Account of January Meeting
Cornell disputed Doe’s characterization of the January 2025 meeting. A university spokesperson said a documented firsthand account indicated that Kotlikoff was asking about bystanders who had not used Cornell’s anonymous tip line, despite social-media discussion of the incident in October 2024.
The spokesperson said Kotlikoff was not questioning Doe’s decision to report the alleged assault. The differing accounts underscore the dispute over the meaning and intended subject of the question, while Jane Doe said she felt its reported impact on her confidence in university leadership was significant.
Doe alleged that the assault occurred in the early hours of October 20, 2024, at a fraternity house. She reported the incident to Cornell University police on November 8. Her lawsuit has placed the allegations at the center of campus discussions about accountability, investigations and support for students who come forward.
Faculty Members Raise Transparency Concerns
Doe’s letter did not tell Faculty Senate members how to vote. Instead, she said she wanted them to have information they could consider or investigate as they weighed the matters before them.
“It is important to me that the Faculty Senate be made aware of this letter so that its members can make an informed choice about how they wish to consider or act upon the information it contains.”
Thomas Giuffra, Doe’s attorney, said the letter was intended to inform the Senate during its deliberations. He said Doe wanted faculty members to decide what weight or credibility to assign to the information.
Two Cornell professors said the letter was not circulated to the full Faculty Senate. Paul Ortiz, a professor who sponsored the no-confidence vote, said he was disappointed that faculty members were learning about it through media coverage rather than through Senate distribution.
Chris Schaffer, Cornell’s Dean of Faculty, later told Senate members by email that he received the letter on October 14 and forwarded it to the Office of the General Counsel. The office then sent it to an investigative team led by former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
FAQ
What did Jane Doe say in her letter?
Jane Doe said she felt unsupported and disbelieved after hearing about a question attributed to Cornell’s president. She said the reported exchange reduced her confidence in the administration’s ability to treat her experience with sensitivity and fairness.
How did Cornell respond?
Cornell said the president’s question concerned bystanders and the university’s anonymous tip line, not Doe’s timing in reporting the alleged assault. The university said he was not challenging her decision to come forward.
Why was the letter significant to faculty leaders?
The letter arrived as the Faculty Senate considered a no-confidence measure involving Cornell’s leadership. Some faculty members raised concerns that it was not distributed to the full Senate, while university officials said it was referred to legal counsel and the investigative team.
