Cornell Faculty Senate Passes No-Confidence Vote in Administration Over Sexual Assault Response

A historic rebuke from the faculty

November 6, 2026 · 10:00 p.m. Central / 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Cornell University’s Faculty Senate has approved a resolution of no confidence in President Michael Kotlikoff and the central administration following weeks of campus outrage over how university leaders handled sexual assault allegations.

The measure passed Friday with 75 votes in favor, or 55.6%, and 50 opposed, or 37%, with five abstentions and five senators not voting out of 135 members, according to Cornell’s published statement and reporting by The Washington Post. Faculty leaders told WSKG and NBC News that it was the first no-confidence vote passed by the senate since the body was created in 1996.

The resolution is non-binding and does not remove any official. Only Cornell’s Board of Trustees holds the authority to appoint or dismiss the university president, and the board said Friday that it continues to support Kotlikoff.

What sparked the campus confrontation

The faculty debate followed a lawsuit filed by a former student identified in court papers as Jane Doe, who alleged she was gang-raped at a Chi Phi fraternity house party in 2024 and that the university failed to protect her or adequately discipline those involved, the BBC and The Washington Post reported.

Those claims in the civil lawsuit are allegations that remain subject to court proceedings. On campus, however, the suit triggered student protests and sharp criticism from faculty co-sponsors who argued the administration was too slow to overhaul campus safety, fraternity oversight and Title IX complaint procedures.

During senate deliberations before the ballot closed, Kotlikoff defended the administration’s response, pointing to temporary restrictions on fraternity parties and expanded safety measures while asking faculty for time to carry out broader reforms.

Trustees back Kotlikoff while acknowledging anger

In a statement issued Friday after the vote totals were announced, Board of Trustees Chair Anne Meinig Smalling said the outcome “reflects deep anger across our campus and sends a clear signal that what happened to Jane Doe is unacceptable.”

Smalling added that trustees remain confident in Kotlikoff and his leadership team to expand victim advocacy, review campus Greek-life rules and implement structural safety reforms. Whether the symbolic vote leads to specific policy changes in how Cornell investigates misconduct complaints remains an open question for students and faculty.

Where the vote took place

The star marks the general area of Cornell University’s main campus in Ithaca, New York.

Sources and visual credits

Cornell University statement · The Washington Post · NBC News · BBC News.

Hero and thumbnail: conceptual illustration, not a photograph of the Faculty Senate vote or campus events. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.