Cornell University suspends all fraternity parties until the end of the 2026-2027 academic year

Cornell University has suspended all parties and social events held at the houses of fraternities affiliated with the Interfraternity Council through the end of the 2026–2027 academic year. The decision was announced Tuesday amid outrage over the institution’s handling of allegations that a student was sexually assaulted at a fraternity in 2024.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff also announced a “zero-tolerance” policy. Any violation of the rules could lead to the fraternity’s immediate suspension. The university will also hire a case manager to support people reporting sexual misconduct and will cooperate with New York State Police, whose investigators are independent of the institution.

The development follows a lawsuit filed by a former student identified in court documents as Jane Doe. The case revealed Snapchat messages exchanged by fraternity members containing vulgar and dehumanizing references to the young woman and the alleged assault.

Typically, cases reported on campus are investigated by university police. In 2024, they sent their initial findings to the district attorney of Tompkins County, who decided not to file charges. Following public backlash, the New York governor removed him from the case, and the investigation is now being coordinated by Attorney General Letitia James. Cornell separately hired Sally Yates, a former U.S. deputy attorney general, to conduct an independent review.