Pop star Olivia Rodrigo joined public calls for accountability on Oct. 3, 2026, condemning Cornell University’s handling of sexual assault allegations and declaring “Shame on Cornell” in support of a student identified as Jane Doe.
Instagram Condemnation and the ‘Cornell 7’ Lawsuit
The Grammy-winning singer addressed her followers on Instagram Stories, targeting the institution over a civil lawsuit.
“Shame on Cornell and on every institution who protects rapists and abusers over women. I stand with Jane Doe. Her bravery reverberates across the country and the crimes against her will not go unpunished,” Rodrigo wrote on her Instagram Story, as cited by International Business Times.
Rodrigo added that the plaintiff deserves answers, lasting change, and consequences, while criticizing individuals who failed to intervene.
Disciplinary Actions and University Defense
Internal university disciplinary summaries reviewed by The New York Times indicate that Cornell expelled two of the accused men, suspended two others, and imposed lighter punishments on the remaining three members, including one who had already graduated and was barred from campus.
Kyle Kimball, vice president of university relations, disputed claims that lenient measures such as writing essays constituted the sole disciplinary action. In a Sept. 28 statement reported by Billboard, Kimball emphasized that the Chi Phi chapter has remained barred from campus since the conclusion of a months-long Title IX investigation in 2024. Attorneys for the defendants have denied wrongdoing, asserting that sexual acts were consensual or misrepresented in the complaint.
Governor Appoints Special Prosecutor to Reopen Criminal Probe
Local prosecutors initially declined to file criminal charges in late 2024 after reviewing the initial police statements, a decision Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten later defended by noting his office had not received the full picture or the complete 120-page transcript of Jane Doe’s police interview at the time.
Public scrutiny surrounding the case prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign an executive order appointing State Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor on Oct. 1, officially transferring control of the criminal inquiry away from the local district attorney’s office.
Cornell Cooperates with Independent Review of Initial Complaints
Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff acknowledged community distrust in an Oct. 3 video message, describing the allegations as deeply disturbing and announcing that the university will fully cooperate with an independent review conducted by an outside law firm regarding its handling of the initial complaints.
Letitia James’s office has assumed full responsibility for reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and pursuing criminal prosecution if warranted. The independent legal review and the state-level criminal investigation remain active.
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