Cornell Retains Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to Conduct External Inquiry into Sexual Misconduct Procedures

Cornell University’s Board of Trustees has commissioned former Acting and Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to head an independent investigation into the institution’s handling of sexual violence allegations. The decision follows campus demonstrations and a civil lawsuit filed by a former student, identified as Jane Doe, alleging that the university mishandled her report of an off-campus fraternity sexual assault in 2024.

The institutional review runs alongside an active criminal inquiry directed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who intervened following a directive from Governor Kathy Hochul. Yates, currently a partner at King & Spalding, has been directed by a special committee of trustees to review university disciplinary channels, campus policing protocols, coordination with local prosecutors, and Greek life oversight.

Legal Topic

Area of Law: Higher Education Law / Title IX Compliance

Sub-topic: Institutional Investigations & Campus Sexual Misconduct

Core Legal Issue

The review addresses whether Cornell University satisfied its statutory duties under Title IX and relevant state education laws in receiving, investigating, and adjudicating sexual violence complaints.

Beyond institutional compliance, the inquiry focuses on systemic administration: specifically, whether Cornell's internal disciplinary and Title IX processes acted with appropriate promptness and impartiality, and whether campus police and administrators properly coordinated evidentiary handoffs with local law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities.