A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Cornell University has named an independent investigator to examine how the school handled allegations of a rape. The university's being criticized for not doing enough to punish the men who were accused two years ago. NPR's Jaclyn Diaz joins us now with more. Jaclyn, tell us about this investigator.
JACLYN DIAZ, BYLINE: Yeah. Good morning. So the investigator named was a woman named Sally Yates. She was a federal prosecutor for decades and served as deputy attorney general under President Obama. Maybe you remember her name. She served as acting attorney general in Trump's first administration, but it was just for 10 days. Then she was fired. She refused to defend what was called then the Muslim ban. That was an executive order to bar citizens of seven Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.
Yates has been in private practice ever since, but she's done this kind of investigation before. Back in 2021, she looked into the National Women's Soccer League. She published a report that exposed abuse, sexual misconduct and coercion by coaches, and it highlighted serious inaction by officials.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. Now, the rape allegations at Cornell were made by a student in 2024. So why is the university just now appointing an outside investigator?
DIAZ: Yeah. So I think it's really safe to say that the lawsuit filed by the student who is known as Jane Doe is the reason that this is all happening right now. She filed her lawsuit last month alleging that seven Cornell students drugged and gang raped her at a fraternity. No criminal charges were ever filed against any of the men, and those named in the lawsuit have denied any wrongdoing.
Cornell says its university police thoroughly examined the case, and the school held its own investigation, which resulted in suspensions with two students expelled. The university says it wants Yates to examine the school's policy on how it prevents and responds to sexual harassment, assault and misconduct on campus.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. So how does this fit into the other investigation into Jane Doe's case right now?
DIAZ: Yeah. So Yates' investigation will be separate, and it could lead to policy changes and maybe even some firings. But, yeah, the other investigation is the one being led by New York Attorney General Letitia James. And depending on what her office finds, there could be criminal charges in that investigation. James was appointed by New York's governor to look into the rape case last week. Her office said that her staff has met with Jane Doe's attorney and the local prosecutor so far. It's unclear how long that investigation will take.
MARTÍNEZ: Jaclyn, on Monday night, I mean, I saw there was a huge protest - a student protest at Cornell. I mean, how are students reacting to these investigations?
DIAZ: Yeah. It was a pretty large turnout. Students were really angry. Some have called for the university's president to resign, and there's also been a call to abolish fraternities. Students are really cynical about the school's response, and they are letting the administration know how they feel. Later today, students are planning a seven-hour sit in. It's part of a campus-wide event students are calling a zero-day action. Students say they won't attend classes and that they want to disrupt business as usual. Organizers said the goal is to call the school officials' attention to the problem of sexual violence on campus.
MARTÍNEZ: That's NPR's Jaclyn Diaz. Jaclyn, thanks.
DIAZ: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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