Cornell University trustees have named former United States Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to conduct an independent internal review of how the university handles allegations of sexual assault and harassment, following widespread criticism over its response to a former student’s rape allegations.
The trustees announced on Tuesday that Yates will examine how Cornell investigates reports of sexual misconduct and assault, its disciplinary procedures, campus police responses and the university’s oversight of fraternities.
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Yates served as deputy attorney general during the administration of former President Barack Obama and as acting attorney general at the start of Donald Trump’s first presidency. Trump fired her in 2017 after she directed Justice Department lawyers not to defend his initial travel ban that targeted Muslim-majority countries.
“It is imperative that Cornell be willing to examine itself with the same rigor we expect of others,” Cornell Board of Trustees Chair Anne Meinig Smalling said in a statement.
The appointment comes after renewed criticism of Cornell’s handling of allegations made by a woman, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, who said she was sexually assaulted by multiple members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024.
The case resurfaced after Doe filed a civil lawsuit against the university, the fraternity and seven former students in September.
No criminal charges have been filed in the case. Cornell has said it expelled some students and suspended others who were accused following its own investigation, while the Chi Phi chapter was shut down.
“We don’t have all the answers, but we are committed to investigating and finding the answers our community deserves,” Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff said in a video message on Saturday.
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Yates, now a partner at the law firm King & Spalding, conducts independent investigations and previously led a 2022 investigation into sexual abuse and misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League that found systemic failures.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is separately conducting a criminal investigation into the allegations after Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her special prosecutor last week.
Hochul had called for an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the case amid criticism from students, faculty and others.
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