Cornell to Review Dorm Assignment After Accused Student Shared Room for Two Weeks

Cornell University will examine how housing officials managed the return of a student disciplined in a 2024 sexual assault case. The review follows a public dispute where a faculty member accused the administration of leaving the student in a shared room for two weeks after a lawsuit made his name public. Psychology professor Corinna Loeckenhoff raised the issue during a Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 14. She stated that the student returned after a three-semester suspension and was paired with a female roommate who had no prior knowledge of his history. The university confirmed it is checking if proper accommodations were provided once concerns were raised.

The student is one of seven men disciplined by Cornell in connection with an alleged gang rape at a Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024. The university expelled two men, suspended two others, and required three to complete training and reflection papers. A seventh man who had already graduated was barred from campus. The woman suing, identified as Jane Doe, claimed she was given ketamine and raped at the house. All accused men have denied the allegations, stating the encounter was consensual or that they were not involved.

Loeckenhoff told President Michael Kotlikoff that the shared room presented a security risk. She noted that university records showed the student admitted to taking drugs and having sex with an intoxicated person. She questioned why housing services were unaware of these details until the roommate contacted them for a change. Kotlikoff responded that the decision to allow the student's return was made by the university's disciplinary panel. He acknowledged the university's duty to address concerns about the student's presence and pledged to investigate if the proper steps were not taken.

A no-confidence vote against Kotlikoff is scheduled for this week. The debate on the resolution resumed Wednesday. The vote follows a monthslong Title IX investigation and a criminal case that was initially closed but has since been reopened. The matter is now under the jurisdiction of New York's attorney general. Kotlikoff served as interim president when the assault was reported in 2024. He suspended the fraternity and convened a task force on sexual assault but faces criticism for his follow-up actions.

Attorney Andrew Miltenberg, who represents the returning student, said his client maintains the encounter was consensual. Miltenberg argued that the seven accused men should be judged individually based on the evidence concerning each of them. In her lawsuit, Jane Doe accused the student of having non-consensual sex and later participating in snorting ketamine from her body. The details remained private until the lawsuit was filed last month. The disclosure caused discomfort among the student body, according to anthropology professor Noah Tamarkin.

Cornell's media relations office stated that students who complete suspensions regain full rights, including housing eligibility. However, experts note that federal privacy laws limit how universities can share disciplinary history. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act allows sharing records with officials who need the information for their duties. It also permits disclosure in cases involving violence or sex offenses. Kristi Patrickus, a board member of the Association for Student Conduct Administration, said universities have leeway to restrict housing access but generally cannot warn roommates about a student's past. David Karp of the University of San Diego said current processes often prioritize compliance over the needs of the campus community.

One of the expelled students enrolled at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. That university said it was unaware of the allegations at admission and acted immediately after learning of them. It declined to specify the actions taken or if the student remains enrolled, citing federal privacy laws.