Cornell Taps Sally Yates to Lead Independent Sexual Assault Review
Cornell’s board special committee named former Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates to head an independent review of the university’s sexual assault policies on Oct. 6.
Yates, a partner at King & Spalding LLP, will report directly to the committee and examine how reports are received, investigated, student support, hearings, discipline and appeals.
The review will assess the university’s response to the Jane Doe allegations against Chi Phi fraternity members in October 2024, checking compliance with its own policies and measuring practices against Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act’s Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, New York state law and recognized higher‑education standards.
The committee urged the work to proceed “as expeditiously and thoroughly as possible,” though no deadline was set. The appointment follows a week of public pressure after the victim’s lawyer said Jane Doe received multiple threats.
Thomas Giuffra told CNN that individuals tried to intimidate Doe, even targeting other women, and that threats included promises of physical harm if she pursued the lawsuit.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Oct. 2 that her office opened an active criminal investigation into the incident, and Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order naming James special prosecutor and removing Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten from the case.
President Michael Kotlikoff said the 2024 incident is “deeply disturbing” and will weigh heavily on the community, adding that the university will implement reforms.
A Sept. 16 complaint alleges a former Cornell student was drugged and assaulted by seven men at the Chi Phi house between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, with the plaintiff reportedly intoxicated after consuming about ten drinks.
Van Houten said his office would take evidence to a grand jury and that Doe’s initial statement described the conduct as voluntary, conscious and consensual; no criminal charges followed that report.
Cornell said an internal investigation led to expulsions, suspensions and the barring of the on‑campus Chi Phi chapter, rejecting any claim that it failed to impose punishments.
