What We Know About Cornell's Fraternity Assault Investigation

Cornell University has agreed to an independent, outside investigation into how it handled sexual assault allegations tied to the former Chi Phi fraternity house, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told ABC News on Wednesday. The agreement follows the release of a heavily redacted 99-page university report describing an alleged 2024 assault at the Ithaca house, according to ABC News.

What did Jane Doe allege happened at the Chi Phi house?

An unidentified former Cornell student, identified in the report as Jane Doe, told university investigators she was drugged and gang-raped at the Chi Phi house in 2024. At a 2025 hearing, she described the scene inside the house: "I felt like bait. I felt like lions around me. It just was a totally debilitating place to be in," she said, according to the report obtained by ABC News. Doe filed a civil lawsuit earlier this month alleging gang rape by fraternity brothers named in the suit.

What did Cornell's internal investigation find?

Cornell's investigation included 50 interviews with 32 witnesses, among them the fraternity brothers Doe accused, according to the report. Investigators determined that someone at the Chi Phi house had overdosed on ketamine the day before Doe's alleged assault. "Ketamine was a substance used by multiple individuals in the Chi Phi house at the time, including [redacted] who had overdosed on or about October 18, 2024," the report states.

Doe told investigators the ketamine she ingested left her in a state of "vague consciousness." "So, lights are on, but nobody's home. Your brain is not functioning at its proper level," she said, per the report. "I know it sounds super weird to say. I know it happened, but I don't remember it."

What did the fraternity brothers say during the hearing?

One fraternity brother, whom Cornell's investigation concluded did not engage in the assault but found responsible for "attempted sexual exploitation," apologized during the proceeding. "I was sorry that maybe if it wasn't consensual and she was victimized, I was sorry for not stopping it," he said, according to the report. "And that I'm sorry I couldn't tell if she was under the influence ... just sorry that I felt like if something actually bad happened, I didn't stop it."

Why is Gov. Hochul calling for an independent review?

Hochul said the allegations raised "serious questions about Cornell campus culture" and whether the university is doing enough to protect students, according to ABC News. She said Cornell agreed to the outside review after she raised the issue directly with the school. "I wanted to make sure they knew how important this was, and they absolutely agreed. And they're acting on this this afternoon," Hochul said. "People need to know the truth and I think it's important for the public, for the victim, her family and the university community to know that their university did everything that they're supposed to do."

What happens next?

Cornell has not yet released details of the independent review's scope or timeline. Hochul said the university would report publicly on those details as the outside investigation proceeds, according to ABC News.

By the numbers

• 99 pages: length of Cornell's internal, heavily redacted investigative report
• 50 interviews with 32 witnesses conducted as part of Cornell's probe
• October 18, 2024: date investigators say a ketamine overdose occurred at the Chi Phi house