The Ithaca Common Council voted 9-1 on Wednesday night to temporarily halt new city event permits to Cornell University after the school’s handling of sexual abuse fell under scrutiny.
This means the school cannot procure special events, assemblies, parades, Commons events, and noise permits for fraternities, sororities, and affiliated student groups. The moratorium runs through November 5 and can be renewed monthly.
The purpose is to push the school to take more action on protecting students from sexual assault after a high-profile lawsuit was filed by a former female student who claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a frat party.
From NewsMax:
The city said the moratorium does not apply to constitutionally protected activities, including religious exercise, free speech, peaceful assembly, and petitioning.
"The allegations that have recently come to light are deeply disturbing and have shaken confidence in the systems that are supposed to protect students and hold offenders accountable," Mayor Robert Cantelmo said in a statement.
Cantelmo said the pause is meant to "reduce opportunities for harm" while the city evaluates further safety measures. He also called on Cornell to provide more transparency about its policies for preventing and responding to sexual violence.
"We are calling for a thorough accounting of existing protocols and clear public commitments that will strengthen protection for our community," he said.
The city said it is not making findings on the merits of the allegations, which remain the subject of legal and investigative proceedings.
Ithaca’s Council will be voting on a moratorium on event permits for all student events, on and off-campus, until Cornell reviews its sexual violence procedures and publishes new ones that actually protect students. We stand with Jane Doe and call on Cornell to do better. https://t.co/KCti1gnUML
— Hannah shvets (@HannahShvets05) September 29, 2026
The hope is that the moratorium will apply enough pressure on Cornell University to compel it to prevent sexual abuse on its campus, according to the Cornell Sun.
The move is intended to pressure the University to adopt major changes in how it deals with sexual misconduct, including requiring the Cornell University Police Department to hand over sexual assault investigations to the Ithaca Police Department.
“Cornell, as an institution, thinks it’s above the law,” said Alderperson Jorge DeFendini ’22 (D-1st Ward). “But they are not above the law. We will hold them and anyone who engages in this [thinking] accountable.”
Mayor Robert Cantelmo M.A. ’20 called for the moratorium in a Sept. 28 statement, expressing concerns regarding the University’s response to an alleged 2024 Chi Phi gang rape.
Cornell’s handling of the case has been slammed by elected officials and is now being independently reviewed by Attorney General Letitia James (D-N.Y.). Cornell’s Board of Trustees has also appointed Sally Yates, a former U.S. deputy attorney general, to lead its own independent review.
The key provision that could prevent parties from occurring is the hold on noise permits. The city code requires a noise permit for all events with DJs that use amplified sound and those that exceed a certain noise level. Most student noise permits issued by the city go to Greek Life organizations, according to City Manager Dominic Reckkio.
In response to the sexual assault allegations tied to a student fraternity, Ithaca’s Common Council will vote tomorrow on a month-long ban blocking @Cornell student groups from obtaining city permits to host assemblies, parades, and events. Let’s be clear: This ban goes far beyond preventing misconduct, and broadly burdens all protected protests, rallies, and gatherings. The result is self-defeating. Cornell students protesting any issue — including the one that prompted the moratorium — could be denied permits to assemble for the next month. Ithaca can prioritize safety without restricting protected assembly.
— FIRE (@TheFIREorg) October 6, 2026
Cornell University recently released the results of a survey showing a disturbing rise in the number of nonconsensual sexual encounters. New York Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed as a special prosecutor to look into possible criminal charges against those accused of assaulting the student who filed the lawsuit.
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