Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi abruptly canceled a Cornell University-sponsored event as the Ivy League school faces intensifying scrutiny over allegations that a student was drugged and gang raped at a fraternity house.
Pelosi had been scheduled to appear at an Oct. 15 event organized by Cornell’s Institute of Politics and Global Affairs in New York City.
Students were reportedly offered a fully funded trip to attend the program, which Cornell promoted as an opportunity to hear from and interact with the longtime California congresswoman.
But just one day after the event was announced, the RSVP form was shut down and students were informed the appearance had been canceled.
A source familiar with the situation told The Cornell Daily Sun that the cancellation was “related to the gang rape situation” now engulfing the university.
Pelosi herself has not publicly issued a detailed statement explaining the decision.
The cancellation comes as allegations surrounding a reported October 2024 incident at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house have drawn renewed national attention.
A former Cornell student identified in court documents as Jane Doe has filed a civil lawsuit against Cornell University, fraternity organizations and seven current or former students.
The woman alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple fraternity members while she was 20 years old.
Those claims remain allegations contained in a civil lawsuit. No criminal convictions have resulted from the accusations, and several of the men accused have denied wrongdoing.
The case has become especially controversial because the woman reported the alleged incident to Cornell police in 2024, yet prosecutors initially declined to pursue criminal charges.
Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten previously said his office’s original decision was based partly on the information provided by investigators at the time.
The case was reopened in late September after the new lawsuit brought additional information and renewed public attention to the allegations.
The investigation has since escalated beyond local authorities.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed state Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor to oversee the criminal investigation, saying there were serious questions surrounding how the original case was handled.
Hochul said the circumstances had damaged public confidence in the local investigation and called for an independent and thorough review.
Cornell has also agreed to an independent examination of the university’s response.
According to Cornell, the school previously conducted a lengthy Title IX investigation into the accusations. The process included dozens of interviews and disciplinary proceedings, and Cornell has said some students were ultimately suspended or expelled.
The university has maintained that it took the allegations seriously and has expressed support for the renewed criminal investigation.
The Chi Phi fraternity has also said members connected to the allegations were removed from the organization. The Cornell chapter is no longer operating.
The controversy has spread across campus.
Presidents of all 22 fraternities belonging to Cornell’s Interfraternity Council unanimously agreed to cancel their social events for the weekend amid mounting outrage over the case.
Students and organizations have also planned demonstrations calling for greater accountability.
Pelosi is not the only prominent political figure to weigh into the controversy surrounding Cornell.
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has described the allegations as serious and called for changes to a system she says failed the woman, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a thorough investigation.
The growing political pressure now means the allegations are receiving scrutiny far beyond the Cornell campus.
As for Pelosi, The Cornell Daily Sun reported that there are currently no plans to reschedule her Oct. 15 appearance.
What began as a university-sponsored event featuring one of the most recognizable Democrats in Washington has instead become another sign of how dramatically the Cornell controversy has escalated.
The underlying allegations remain under investigation, and the civil lawsuit is still pending.
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