Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo is seeking to halt city permits for Cornell University student events, including Greek life gatherings, as scrutiny intensifies over the university’s handling of allegations stemming from a 2024 fraternity incident.
Cantelmo announced the proposed moratorium Monday, Sept. 28, calling for an immediate pause on “all student event and special event permits,” including events organized by Greek organizations and other student groups.
The proposal still needs approval from the Ithaca Common Council before it can take effect. If approved, the moratorium would remain until Cornell reviews its protocols for preventing and responding to sexual violence and publicly releases new standards aimed at campus and community safety.
Cantelmo said Cornell administrators and university police failed to coordinate with the Ithaca Police Department after the alleged incident and accused the university of failing to adequately hold those involved accountable.
His announcement comes after a former Cornell student, identified in a civil lawsuit as Jane Doe, alleged that seven Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her after she was drugged at the fraternity house in October 2024.
The lawsuit, filed in September, has triggered renewed scrutiny of Cornell’s response and the handling of the original investigation.
Cornell has disputed claims that the accused students received only essay-writing as punishment. The university said it conducted a months-long Title IX investigation and that the students faced a range of sanctions, including temporary suspensions and expulsions. Cornell also said the Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
At the same time, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten reopened the criminal investigation after prosecutors initially filed no charges. His office is now reviewing the allegations and plans to present the case to a grand jury.
The DA has said the woman’s 2024 statement to investigators differed from allegations contained in her recent civil complaint. Her attorney, Thomas P. Giuffra, disputes that characterization and has argued that the original investigation did not adequately follow up on her report or available evidence.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has also called for an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the case, saying there are broader questions about the university’s systems for preventing, reporting and responding to sexual violence.
The renewed criminal investigation does not mean the seven men have been charged or that the allegations have been established in court.
For now, the Ithaca Common Council must decide whether to approve Cantelmo’s proposed moratorium, potentially affecting student events across Cornell while the university’s response to the case faces increasing scrutiny.
