All articles tagged with #ithaca common council
The Ithaca Common Council voted 9-1 to suspend event permits for Cornell University and affiliated student groups until November 5, citing public safety concerns related to the 2024 Chi Phi rape allegations. Simultaneously, the accuser, Jane Doe, faces severe security threats including a swatting incident, while a defendant challenges the appointment of New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor.
The Ithaca Common Council voted 9-1 to impose a temporary moratorium on special event permits for Cornell University and affiliated student groups, effective immediately through November 5. The measure, proposed by Mayor Robert Cantelmo, bars assemblies, parades, and noise permits for the university, sororities, and fraternities. Simultaneously, the council passed a resolution urging Cornell to transfer investigations of violent sex crimes to the Ithaca Police Department. This action follows a civil lawsuit filed by a former student, Jane Doe, alleging she was drugged and gang-raped by seven Chi Phi fraternity members in October 2024. While the city aims to pressure the university into structural changes, the move has sparked debate over its scope and impact on student life.