Ithaca, New York: State Police Take Over Sexual Assault Cases at Cornell

Sexual assault complaints at Cornell University will now be investigated by the New York State Police instead of campus police, under an agreement the university and the state police signed on Thursday, October 29. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the change in Ithaca, where the university has faced months of criticism over its handling of an alleged gang rape at a fraternity house in 2024.

Under the agreement, sexual offense complaints that would normally fall under the jurisdiction of the Cornell University Police will be referred to state police for criminal investigation, unless the person making the report requests another option. The agreement took effect immediately and will stay in place while an independent review of the university's handling of sexual misconduct runs its course.

What changes for students who report

Cornell said the agreement does not change a survivor's control over whether or when to contact law enforcement or file a criminal complaint. A person who decides to pursue criminal charges can choose the State Police, Cornell Police, the Ithaca Police or the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office as the investigating agency. Cases handled by the State Police will be independent of the university, and Cornell Police will assist state investigators when asked, including by preserving and handing over records and evidence.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff welcomed the deal. "I am grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul and to the New York State Police for partnering with Cornell on this important agreement," he said in the university's statement.

The case behind the change

The agreement follows a civil lawsuit filed in September 2026 by a former student identified in court papers only as Jane Doe. She alleges that during a visit to the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024, fraternity members pressured her to take ketamine and sexually assaulted her over several hours while she was too intoxicated to consent. The suit names seven former students. Cornell expelled or disciplined several of the students involved, but no criminal charges were filed, and none had been announced as of Thursday. The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court.

Earlier this month, Hochul named New York Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to reopen the criminal investigation into Jane Doe's complaint, after it emerged that the Tompkins County district attorney had decided not to charge anyone without seeing a full transcript of her 2024 interview with campus police. A committee of Cornell's board of trustees has also appointed former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review how the university responded to sexual assault claims.

A campus still voting on its leaders

The Faculty Senate is in the middle of a vote of no confidence in the central administration over the crisis. About 135 members of the senate can cast ballots from Friday, October 30, until November 6, in a vote that is not binding but would state formally that the faculty body has no confidence in the administration's ability to address sexual assault at Cornell, the Cornell Daily Sun reported.

The state police agreement is the second time in a month that New York State has stepped into a role Cornell normally fills itself, first with the special prosecutor and now with outside investigators for future complaints.