Special Committee of the Cornell University Board of Trustees / October 7, 2026
A newly formed Special Committee of the Cornell University Board of Trustees announced today that it has retained former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, a partner at law firm King & Spalding LLP, to lead a comprehensive independent review of how the University prevents and responds to sexual harassment, sexual assault and related misconduct on campus.
The review will examine Cornell’s policies, practices and resources across the full range of prevention and response, including how reports are received and investigated; how students are supported; how hearings, disciplinary decisions and appeals are handled; the role, processes and response of campus police; coordination with other law enforcement agencies and prosecutors; campus safety reporting; and policies and oversight involving fraternities, sororities and other student organizations. It will also examine the Board’s oversight of these issues.
As part of that broader mandate, Yates and her team will conduct a detailed review of the University’s response to the allegations involving Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, including whether Cornell followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter.
The Special Committee is comprised of Chair of the Board of Trustees, Anne Meinig Smalling, and fellow trustees, Jennifer L. Davis, Tara Holm, Howard L. Morgan Ph.D., Beckie Robertson, Stephen C. Robinson, Esq., Martin F. Scheinman, Esq., and Robert W. Selander.
“Sally Yates brings extraordinary experience, independence and judgment to this work,” said Anne Meinig Smalling, Chair of the Special Committee. “The questions raised by the Jane Doe matter warrant a rigorous examination of Cornell’s response to that case, but our responsibility is broader. We have asked Ms. Yates and her team to examine Cornell’s overall approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct, identify where we are doing things well and where we can do better, and recommend changes that will help make our community safer.”
The review will assess Cornell’s practices against applicable requirements under Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Act’s Campus SaVE Act and New York State law, as well as recognized best practices in higher education for preventing and responding to sexual misconduct.
Yates and King & Spalding will have full independence in conducting the review and will report their findings and recommendations directly to the Special Committee. The University will provide the investigative team with access to relevant policies, records, case files, personnel and leadership, consistent with applicable law and privacy requirements. The review will assess Cornell’s organization, staffing and resources; policies and procedures; student support services; investigative and adjudicative processes; discipline and remediation; relationships with outside support organizations; and law-enforcement practices and coordination.
Smalling continued: “It is imperative that Cornell be willing to examine itself with the same rigor we expect of others. We want to understand not just what happened in 2024, but how Cornell can become a leader in preventing sexual violence, supporting those who come forward and responding to allegations rigorously, fairly and compassionately.”
Yates is a former Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States and a longtime federal prosecutor. She is a partner in King & Spalding’s Special Matters and Investigations practice and has extensive experience conducting independent investigations for boards and institutions. She previously led U.S. Soccer’s independent investigation into allegations of abusive behavior and sexual misconduct in women’s professional soccer.
The Special Committee has asked Yates and her team to conduct the review as expeditiously and thoroughly as possible. The Board intends to share the results and recommendations with the Cornell community.
