New York State Police, Not Campus Police, Will Now Investigate Sexual Assault Complaints at Cornell
by Sari Moon · Thought CatalogBy Sari Moon
Updated 2 minutes ago, October 30, 2026
Sexual offense complaints at Cornell University will go to New York state police for criminal investigation unless the person reporting the assault requests otherwise, under an agreement Governor Kathy Hochul announced October 29. Campus police would normally handle those complaints.
The change follows scrutiny of Cornell’s response to a student identified as Jane Doe, who alleges she was drugged and gang-raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. No criminal charges were filed, though Cornell expelled or otherwise disciplined several students involved.
Her civil lawsuit, filed this year, names 7 former students. According to the suit, she was too intoxicated to consent during several hours of sexual assault by fraternity members, who had pressured her to take ketamine.
The allegations are denied by lawyers representing the fraternity members, with differing responses: some describe the sexual activity as consensual, while others contest their clients’ participation in the events the suit describes.
Hochul has appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor to reopen the criminal investigation into Doe’s complaint. A committee of Cornell’s board of trustees has also selected former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review how the university responded to sexual assault claims.
Students, alumni and advocates have called for more transparency about Cornell’s handling of such complaints. About 135 Faculty Senate members can vote on a nonbinding resolution of no confidence in the university administration from October 30 through November 6.
The resolution states: “The Faculty Senate has no confidence in the ability of the central administration to effectively address the ongoing crisis of sexual assault at Cornell University.”
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