Cornell Bans Fraternity Parties for 2026-2027 Year Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuit Cornell University has suspended all parties and social events at Interfraternity Council houses for the remainder of the 2026-2027 academic year after a lawsuit alleging a former student was sexually assaulted by seven men at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. Cornell University has banned fraternity parties for the rest of the 2026-2027 academic year in response to an explosive lawsuit from a female student alleging she had been sexually assaulted by seven men at the Chi Phi house in 2024. University President Michael Kotlikoff made the announcement in a message to the campus community Tuesday, in which he also pledged the school would provide better support for survivors. All parties and social events in Interfraternity Council (IFC) houses at Cornell will be suspended for the remainder of the 2026-2027 academic year, Kotlikoff wrote. These measures will provide time for a thorough review of fraternity life at Cornell to determine whether and how it can safely continue, he said.Cornell Bans Fraternity PartiesAny fraternity holding a party or social event would face immediate suspension, he said, citing a zero tolerance policy for violations. In the meantime, he said the school would be looking for ways to have safe social alternatives. The former student, identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe, raised a series of alarming allegations last month in court filings, prompting New York Gov.Kathy Hochul to appoint the state attorney general's office as a special prosecutor to investigate the claims. She alleges she was sexually assaulted and plied with drugs overnight from Oct. 19 to Oct. 20, 2024. She filed a civil lawsuit last month against multiple parties, including Cornell University, the fraternity, her sorority, and seven former Chi Phi members. Attorneys for four of the men have said their clients deny sexually assaulting Jane Doe or coercing her with drugs.The three other men have not responded to requests for comment. The seven defendants have not been criminally charged. The fraternity and sorority previously declined to discuss the pending litigation. Jane Doe initially reported the incident to Cornell University Police on Nov. 8, 2024.District Attorney Declines Criminal ChargesThe school suspended the fraternity and opened an investigation, but Tompkins County prosecutors declined to file charges. The decision was based on a six-page sworn statement signed by Doe that did not include the most explosive allegations in a reported transcript of her interview with detectives. Tompkins County District Attorney Matt Van Houten defended his decision not to charge the students, citing a lack of evidence.He wrote in a statement posted to his website last month that the sworn statement, especially as it relates to the legal definition of lack of consent, provides a different narrative and set of facts than those alleged in the lawsuit. Van Houten said Doe made more than 20 handwritten notations in the six-page document.When confronted with reports that she had made more explicit allegations about the case in her interview with police, he said that changed his view of the case. Jane Doe's lawsuit put renewed scrutiny on the Cornell University Police Department's handling of the 2024 probe and the local district attorney's decision not to bring criminal charges. Cornell and Van Houten have each defended their probes. The prosecutor has said his office was following the evidence.Attorney General Recuses HerselfThe case also prompted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to appoint the state attorney general's office as a special prosecutor to investigate the claims. New York Attorney General Letitia James recused herself from the case over concerns that she tweeted support for the victim before her office was designated special prosecutor. An attorney for a former Cornell fraternity member wants Attorney General James off the case over her post supporting the accuser.The recusal came after critics raised questions about whether her public comments compromised the investigation. James has not commented publicly on the recusal. Kotlikoff announced that Cornell would bring on experienced, trauma-informed criminal investigators to review allegations of sexual assault on campus. He also outlined additional staff members at the Cornell Office of Civil Rights.The university said it would take all necessary steps to address the conditions that led to Jane Doe's experiences and those of other survivors. Kotlikoff said he is deeply sorry for the harm Jane Doe suffered in 2024 and appalled that this act of sexual violence occurred within the Cornell community. He added that it is clear women on campus continue to question whether they are safe.Victim Lawyer Seeks Institutional ChangeWe must meet this moment by acknowledging where we have fallen short and taking meaningful action, he said. In response to a request for comment, Jane Doe's lawyer said his client's goal in filing her lawsuit was not solely for herself. She wanted to achieve her aim of improving Cornell and its response to abuse claims, said attorney Thomas Giuffra.While the steps announced today are helpful to achieve this goal, they are too late to protect Ms. Doe, he said. However, these steps will hopefully go a long way to help ensure that there are no more Jane Does, Giuffra added. Students protested on Ho Plaza at Cornell University on Oct. 5, 2026, in response to the alleged 2024 sexual assault.The demonstration came as the lawsuit and the attorney general's investigation drew national attention to how the university and local authorities handled the case. The alleged gang rape took place overnight from Oct. 19 to Oct. 20, 2024. Doe reported it to university police on Nov. 8, 2024. The school suspended the fraternity and opened an investigation, but criminal charges were never filed.The civil lawsuit remains pending. Legal experts have clashed over New York Attorney General Letitia James's role in the Cornell sexual assault case. Fox News legal editor Kerri Urbahn joined Lawrence Jones to analyze the controversy. The panel debated the legal implications of James's public social media comments before her recusal.The suspension of fraternity parties is one of several changes Cornell announced in response to the Jane Doe case. The university said it will continue to review fraternity life and campus safety policies. The review will determine whether and how fraternity life can safely continue at Cornell.