Cornell Sued After Student Says 7 Fraternity Members Drugged and Gang-Raped Her, Some Faced ‘Essay’ Discipline

A former Cornell University student has sued the school after alleging seven Chi Phi fraternity members drugged and gang-raped her at a fraternity house, accusing Cornell of responding inadequately after some of the men allegedly received disciplinary options that included writing essays.

The former student, identified as Jane Doe, filed the lawsuit Sept. 14 in New York state court in Manhattan. She is suing Cornell, local and national Chi Phi organizations, seven current and former fraternity members, Tri Delta sorority organizations, a former Chi Phi chapter president, an Ithaca nightclub and other defendants.

Doe was 20 and attending what her attorney described as her dream school when she went to the Chi Phi house in Ithaca on Oct. 19, 2024, according to the complaint. She alleges fraternity members pressured her to consume what they described as ketamine, along with marijuana and additional alcohol, before sexually assaulting her over several hours while she was severely impaired. Doe later withdrew from Cornell.

The complaint alleges one fraternity member sent a sexually explicit message to a Snapchat group called “Chi Phi Actives,” describing Doe as “free p---y” upstairs. Several men then entered the room, according to the filing, which accuses seven fraternity members of participating in sexual misconduct during the night.

Doe reported the incident to Cornell University Police on Nov. 8, 2024. Cornell temporarily suspended the Chi Phi chapter and the seven accused students while university officials and law enforcement investigated. Cornell later launched a Title IX investigation after Doe filed a formal complaint.

Some of the accused students were allowed to mitigate their disciplinary consequences by submitting essays to the university, Doe alleges. She accuses Cornell of an inadequate response and of failing to protect her despite what she says were known risks involving sexual misconduct and drug use within Greek life.

Cornell says federal privacy law limits what it can disclose about individual disciplinary outcomes. The university said its investigation has concluded and that the Xi chapter of Chi Phi “remains barred from our campus.” Cornell added that violations of university policy can carry sanctions up to suspension or expulsion and said it would respond to the lawsuit through the legal process.

Jeremy Saland, an attorney representing one of the seven men, Scott Kretzschmar, has disputed Doe’s allegations. Saland said the defense possesses documents, witness statements, and scientific evidence that it says contradict her account.

The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office closed its review without bringing criminal charges, saying prosecutors found insufficient evidence after examining the police investigation. The civil lawsuit proceeds under a lower burden of proof. Doe generally must establish her claims by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning they are more likely true than not, while a criminal conviction requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Her negligence claims allege Cornell knew or should have known about sexual assault and drug risks associated with Greek life and failed to adequately supervise activities at Chi Phi. The filing cites alleged concerns about drug use at the fraternity before the October 2024 incident.

New York courts have recognized that universities can have a duty to act when they receive credible reports of dangerous conduct by students. In a 2023 case involving the University of Rochester, an appeals court found such a duty after the school allegedly received reports of ongoing criminal conduct on campus. Doe’s complaint similarly alleges Cornell had warning signs involving drug use and sexual misconduct at Chi Phi before the October 2024 incident.

Since then, the university has taken additional steps focused on campus sexual misconduct. Its 2025 survey found that 35% of undergraduate women who responded reported experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact during their time at the university, compared with 23% in the 2023 survey. Cornell has acknowledged that the 2025 survey had a substantially lower response rate, limiting direct comparisons between the two years.

The university also created a Presidential Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault, which issued recommendations in March aimed at prevention, reporting, education and institutional accountability.

Doe alleges the assault and its aftermath caused lasting psychological and emotional harm and ultimately drove her from Cornell. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and a jury trial.