Cornell Trustees Blame Students in April 30 SUV Confrontation, Back President Kotlikoff
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Cornell Trustees Blame Students in April 30 SUV Confrontation, Back President Kotlikoff
9 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 15
April 30 footage shows Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff reversing a black Cadillac SUV into students who had followed and surrounded his vehicle after a campus discussion on free speech and the Middle East.
Cornell’s trustees said the students’ conduct violated university expressive-activity rules, but the university will not discipline them and the Tompkins County district attorney declined criminal charges against anyone involved.
The board did not directly fault Kotlikoff, instead praising his integrity and leadership, effectively absolving him over the confrontation tied to protests over suspensions of pro-Palestinian students.
Friday, Kotlikoff said he did not realize he had hit anyone at the time and learned of the contact only after seeing video clips circulate the next day.
As calls for his resignation grow, can President Kotlikoff effectively lead a campus so divided on free speech?
With conflicting video claims, was the Cornell President's exoneration a fair outcome or an institutional cover-up?
Where does Cornell draw the line between protected student protest and prohibited intimidation of university officials?