A dispute over whether Cornell University punished students accused of a 2024 sexual assault with little more than essay writing has intensified after prosecutors reopened the criminal investigation. The former student who filed a civil lawsuit alleges that several of the accused fraternity members were temporarily suspended and then “afforded the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays” to the university.
Cornell has rejected the suggestion that essay writing was the sole consequence and says the university imposed more serious sanctions, including expulsions and suspensions.