Jane Doe said she felt ‘unsupported and disbelieved’ by Cornell president in letter sent to faculty leaders

Jane Doe said she felt unsupported by Cornell president

Activelifezero.com – Jane Doe said she felt unsupported and disbelieved by Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff after learning about a question he allegedly raised following her report of a sexual assault. In a letter sent through her attorneys to faculty leaders, she said the episode damaged her confidence in the university’s response.

Doe, whose identity is protected in court filings, filed a 101-page lawsuit against Cornell last month over an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024. The case has intensified scrutiny of Cornell’s handling of sexual-violence reports and prompted calls from some faculty and students for a no-confidence vote in Kotlikoff.

The letter was sent to the Dean of Faculty and the Speaker of the Faculty Senate on October 14, when the Senate was discussing a no-confidence measure involving the president. Doe said she was not trying to direct senators’ votes, but wanted them to have information they could consider before making a decision.

Letter recounts alleged question about reporting

Jane Doe said she felt her experience was viewed with doubt after the president of her sorority met with Kotlikoff. According to Doe’s letter, the sorority leader later told her that Kotlikoff asked a question “along the lines of” why she had waited so long to come forward.

The letter makes clear that this account was second-hand. Doe said the sorority president understood the question as skepticism about her account, an interpretation that left her feeling unsupported by the administration.

“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.”

Cornell disputed that interpretation. A university spokesperson said a documented first-hand account differed from the description in Doe’s letter and said 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 question ‘why did it take so long for the assault to be reported’ was directed at bystanders who did not use Cornell’s anonymous tip line, despite ongoing social media activity about the incident in October 2024. He was not questioning Jane Doe’s reporting.”

Lawsuit and faculty debate place response under scrutiny

Doe alleges she was assaulted during 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 focused attention on the circumstances that can affect when someone reports an alleged assault.

Jane Doe said she felt it was important for the Faculty Senate to know about the letter as members weighed concerns about Kotlikoff’s leadership. Faculty members questioned the president on October 14 while considering a possible no-confidence vote.

Two Cornell professors said the letter was not distributed to the full Faculty Senate. Paul Ortiz, the professor who sponsored the no-confidence measure, said he was disappointed that faculty members had not received the letter directly and were learning about it through media coverage.

The conflicting accounts underscore a central issue for Cornell: how students interpret administrators’ words after allegations of sexual violence are reported. For survivors, the tone and framing of institutional questions can strongly influence whether they believe they will be treated with care, fairness and credibility.

FAQ: Cornell letter and faculty response

What did Jane Doe’s letter say?

The letter said Doe felt unsupported and disbelieved after hearing a second-hand account of an alleged question by Kotlikoff about the timing of the report. Cornell says the question referred to bystanders’ use of an anonymous tip line, not Doe’s reporting.

Did Jane Doe ask faculty to vote against the president?

No. Doe said she did not intend to tell Faculty Senate members how to vote. She said she wanted them to be aware of the information in her letter as they considered how to respond.

What is a no-confidence vote?

A no-confidence vote is a formal statement that a faculty body no longer has confidence in an administrator’s leadership. Its practical effect can vary under a university’s governance rules, but it can carry significant institutional weight.