Cornell University trustees announced on Tuesday that Sally Yates, a former high-ranking Department of Justice official, will review the university's handling of sexual misconduct complaints. The decision comes amidst public anger and protests over allegations of a 2024 gang rape at a fraternity house.
Ms Yates, who served as a deputy attorney general in the Obama administration, will assess the university's investigation processes for sexual assault and harassment reports, its disciplinary procedures, and the adequacy of campus police responses. The review will also examine the handling of a specific complaint from a woman, publicly known as Jane Doe, who reported being sexually assaulted in October 2024.
No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the alleged 2024 incident. However, the Chi Phi chapter at Cornell has been shut down, and the university has stated that some students were expelled and others suspended. New York's attorney general is currently conducting a criminal investigation into the matter.
The woman involved in the complaint sued the university, seven former students, and the fraternity last month. Lawyers for two of the former students have denied their participation in a sexual assault, and some accused students contended during a Cornell investigation that the sexual activity was consensual.