Whereas, Cornell students rely on University leadership for timely, accurate, and substantive communication during times that threaten the well-being and/or safety of the campus community
Whereas, Cornell’s officially released statements have failed to appropriately and coherently inform the student body of pertinent developments, often leaving students feeling frustrated and concerned,
Whereas, these gaps have become particularly apparent in the handling of the recent lawsuit filed against the University, the Chi Phi fraternity organization, and others by an anonymous student identified only as Jane Doe,
Whereas, in regard to the previously mentioned case, the first communication received by the student body was not until Friday, October 2nd, leaving students without substantive administrative support or clarity,
Whereas, the communications received have failed to adequately answer lingering questions posed by the student body, and have instead vaguely deflected to existing resources and offices,
Whereas, the original CrimeAlert notification received by the student body in November 2024 yielded no communication as to how the case was handled, what fraternity was involved, or how and by whom those accused were held accountable,
Whereas, Vice President for Student & Campus Life Lombardi and President Kotlikoff have both emphasized concepts like ‘communal strength’ and ‘togetherness’ in their communications, and yet have failed to acknowledge the administration’s felt absence amidst these difficult couple of weeks,
Whereas, students should not have to rely primarily on news outlets, social media, rumors, or outside reporting to understand serious events affecting their own campus while awaiting acknowledgment from their University;
Whereas, this consistent pattern has led to student mistrust in the University to effectively handle prominent cases of misconduct, especially in light of sexual violence and tragic suicide on campus,
Be it therefore resolved, that the student assembly calls upon Cornell administration to invest more care into crafting statements that effectively address serious incidents affecting the campus community, and release these statements in a timely fashion, rather than waiting until student concern, media attention, or public pressure make acknowledgment unavoidable,
Be it further resolved, President Kotlikoff upholds his word that the “[administration] will make a greater effort to explain what we can, to provide context about the actions Cornell has taken, and to be more transparent” and remain “committed to communicating more openly” (M. Kotlikoff, personal communication, October 3, 2026),
Be it further resolved, Vice President Lombardi upholds his word that “Cornell is committed to being as transparent as we can be” (R. Lombardi, personal communication, October 2, 2026),
Be it further resolved, that such communications should directly acknowledge the nature and severity of the situation, provide all information that can responsibly and legally be disclosed, identify available resources, explain actions being taken by the University, and clearly distinguish information that cannot yet be released from information the administration has simply chosen not to address;
Be it finally resolved, that transparency is not an optional gesture of goodwill but an essential responsibility of leadership, shall be treated as essential, especially in the context of sensitive issues and amidst the acknowledgment of difficult times, and that the University shall strive to release more timely, specific, and substantive communication that demonstrates its commitment to students extends beyond rhetoric.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lydia Blum
Vice President for Policy, Student Assembly
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Representative, Student Assembly
Yasmeen Masoud
Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Student Assembly
Brooks School of Public Policy Representative, Student Assembly
Alexander Walters
Vice President for Communications, Student Assembly
LGBTQIA+ Representative, Student Assembly
Eeshaan Chaudhuri
President of the Student Assembly
Ellie Porter
Chief of Staff, Student Assembly
Representative At-Large, Student Assembly
