Cornell leaves disciplined student in co-ed room after lawsuit
Housing officials kept a student suspended for sexual misconduct in a shared room for two weeks after his name became public in court filings.
By Vikram Harrison ·
Cornell University housing officials left a student in a co-ed dormitory room for two weeks after he returned from a three-semester suspension, according to a professor familiar with the arrangement. The student had been disciplined in connection with an alleged gang rape that occurred at a fraternity house in 2024. His roommate, who was unaware of his history, discovered the situation only after the accuser filed a lawsuit in September.
Psychology professor Corinna Loeckenhoff raised the issue at a Faculty Senate meeting on October 14. She described the housing decision as a clear security risk to President Michael Kotlikoff. Loeckenhoff noted that university records indicated the student had admitted to taking drugs and having sex with an intoxicated person. She questioned why housing services were not informed of these details until the roommate requested a room change.
The accuser, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, sued Cornell and seven men last month. She alleged she was given ketamine and raped at the Chi Phi fraternity house. The seven men denied the allegations, stating the encounter was consensual or that they were not involved. Cornell’s Title IX investigation resulted in two expulsions, two suspensions with probation, and lesser penalties for the remaining men.
Kotlikoff is facing a possible no-confidence vote from faculty this week. He stated that the decision to allow the student’s return was made by the university’s disciplinary panel, not by his administration. However, he acknowledged the university’s duty to respond to concerns about the student’s presence on campus and pledged to look into the housing situation if appropriate accommodations were not provided.
Federal privacy laws limit how universities share disciplinary history. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act allows institutions to disclose records to school officials who need the information to carry out their responsibilities. It also permits disclosure for students found responsible for violent offenses, including forcible sexual assault. Kristi Patrickus, an attorney and board member of the Association for Student Conduct Administration, noted that while universities can restrict housing access, privacy protections generally prevent them from warning roommates about a student’s history.
Cornell’s media relations office said students who complete a suspension regain the same rights and responsibilities as their classmates, including eligibility for housing. The university said it would review whether concerns were raised with housing or other offices and whether appropriate accommodations were provided. One expelled student later enrolled at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, which said it acted immediately after learning of the allegations but declined to specify the actions taken due to federal privacy laws.
Anthropology professor Noah Tamarkin said students in his class expressed discomfort with accused students returning to campus. The student’s attorney, Andrew Miltenberg, said his client maintains the encounter was consensual and cautioned against treating all seven accused students as equally responsible. David Karp, director of the Center for Restorative Justice at the University of San Diego, observed that universities often focus on disciplinary sanctions without adequately addressing the needs of those involved or the broader campus community.
