Cornell University Title IX Lawyer

Having served as a Cornell Title IX attorney-advisor, Jeremy Saland can tell you two things with absolute certainty based on his personal and professional opinion: the stakes are incredibly high, especially for male respondents, and even if the university purports to be evenhanded without prejudging certain students, the reality on the ground may be quite different.  Compounding matters, a report of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, stalking, or misconduct involving sexual contact can trigger parallel school, criminal, and professional consequences. Saland Law is headed by former prosecutor and criminal lawyer Jeremy Saland, and our practice advises both respondents and complainants through Cornell’s process from first report to final outcome. Although we are headquartered in New York City, we advise students, faculty, staff, and witnesses nationwide in campus Title IX matters including in Ithaca, New York.

Title IX at Cornell, Explained

Cornell’s Office of Civil Rights (COCR) administers University Policy 6.4, titled Prohibited Bias, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual and Related Misconduct. Policy 6.4 sets out definitions, reporting options, investigation standards, and resolution pathways for complaints involving sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, stalking, and related conduct. Cornell publishes procedures for reports against students and employees, and it maintains campus specific resources for Ithaca, Cornell Tech, and Weill Cornell Medicine.

Cornell specifies that the procedures in effect when a formal complaint is signed govern that case. Separate procedure sets exist for student respondents, employee respondents under Title IX prohibited conduct, and non Title IX prohibited conduct. Weill Cornell Medicine maintains its own parallel materials keyed to Policy 6.4. In short, the label on a case matters, and the date the complaint is filed matters.

New York’s Affirmative Consent and Article 129 B

In addition to federal law, Cornell must comply with New York Education Law Article 129 B, also known as Enough Is Enough. That statute requires colleges to adopt a Students’ Bill of Rights, provide amnesty for certain alcohol or drug use when reporting incidents, and define affirmative consent as a knowing, voluntary, and mutual decision among all participants to engage in sexual activity. Silence or lack of resistance does not, by itself, demonstrate consent.

Article 129 B also requires schools to educate students about sexual assault and dating violence, maintain clear reporting options, and publish response protocols. These state law obligations operate alongside Title IX, meaning terms like affirmative consent and sexual contact are not just educational messaging at Cornell. They are legally required guideposts for investigations, hearings, and outcomes.

How a Cornell Title IX Matter Typically Unfolds

Initial Report and Jurisdiction

A Title IX matter at Cornell usually begins with a report to the University’s Office of Civil Rights or through an online reporting portal. After a preliminary review, Cornell assesses whether Title IX jurisdiction is met under the federal rules and Policy 6.4, including whether the alleged conduct constitutes Title IX sexual harassment and occurred in the education program or activity. If Title IX jurisdiction is not met, Cornell can still proceed under non Title IX policies that address sexual and related misconduct.

Supportive Measures

Regardless of whether a formal complaint is filed, Cornell must offer supportive measures that are individualized, appropriate, and non punitive. These can include academic adjustments, housing changes, work schedule modifications, no contact directives, and other steps to restore or preserve equal access to education while safeguarding safety and program integrity. Supportive measures are available to complainants and respondents.

Formal Complaint, Investigation, and Evidence

If a formal complaint is signed, Cornell should initiate a neutral investigation. Investigators gather evidence from both parties and witnesses, collect documents and digital information where appropriate, and prepare an investigative report. Parties have opportunities to review and respond to evidence. Under the 2020 Title IX regulations that are now back in effect, schools must disclose relevant evidence to the parties and provide a meaningful chance to respond before a determination is made.

Live Hearing and Cross Examination

For Title IX sexual harassment allegations against postsecondary students or employees, Cornell conducts a live hearing. Cross examination occurs through each party’s advisor. If a party does not have an advisor, the university provides one without charge. However, the advisor could be a law student, for example, and not a practicing attorney with experience as a Title IX advisor, prosecutor and criminal lawyer. Consistent with the federal rules, statements by a party or witness who does not submit to cross examination at the hearing cannot be relied upon in determining responsibility. These features are central guardrails of the current Title IX framework.

Standard of Proof and Presumption

Under Policy 6.4, Cornell applies a preponderance of the evidence standard, meaning a fact finder must decide whether it is more likely than not that the policy was violated. The respondent is presumed not responsible unless and until a determination of responsibility is made. The standard must be applied consistently across materially similar proceedings, a choice the 2020 regulations require institutions to make and publish.

Sanctions, Remedies, and Appeals

If a violation is found, Cornell can impose sanctions tailored to the severity and context of the conduct, along with remedies designed to restore or preserve access to education for the complainant and the community. Both parties are given written notice of the outcome. Policy 6.4 provides an appeal process on specified grounds, such as procedural irregularity, new evidence, or conflicts of interest affecting the outcome.

Cornell Specific Structures You Should Know

Cornell’s Policy 6.4 is comprehensive. It applies university-wide, including Weill Cornell Medicine, and it is administered by the Cornell Office of Civil Rights. Separate procedures exist for student and employee respondents and for non Title IX prohibited conduct. Cornell periodically updates these procedures, and the university’s webpages identify which version applies based on the date the complaint is signed. For community members on the New York City campuses, Weill Cornell publishes additional information on reporting options and designated reporters who must elevate certain disclosures.

Cornell’s policies operate within the larger legal environment in New York State. The university’s materials reference Article 129 A and Article 129 B, which together outline state level requirements around sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, prevention training, climate surveys, and student rights. This dual framework means cases at Cornell are shaped by both federal rules and New York’s affirmative consent statute.

How Saland Law Protects You At Every Stage

Saland Law’s team is led by Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan prosecutor and criminal defense lawyer who now advises both respondents and complainants. We prepare students, faculty, and staff to navigate interviews, preserve evidence, and avoid missteps that can undermine credibility or rights. Our goal is to elevate your voice and ensure that your version of events is clearly presented during the investigation and, if applicable, at the hearing.

For complainants, we help draft clear, detailed submissions, request supportive measures, and press for timely, equitable responses. We prepare you for direct and cross examination, address evidentiary issues related to text messages or digital communications, and safeguard your privacy interests consistent with rape shield protections and Article 129 B’s requirements.

For respondents, we assess whether the allegations meet Title IX jurisdiction, challenge unreliable or inadmissible material, and develop a coherent theory of consent and context supported by documents and corroborating witnesses. We prepare your advisor for cross examination in a manner that is professional, effective, and sensitive to campus norms, while pursuing informal resolution when appropriate and aligned with your goals.

Parallel Criminal Exposure and Academic Stakes

Title IX is a civil administrative process, but the same facts can generate criminal scrutiny in Ithaca, Tompkins County, or New York City depending on where conduct occurred. For complainants, we coordinate with law enforcement when you want to pursue criminal charges, and we identify victim advocacy resources without jeopardizing your campus case. For respondents, we manage the interaction between criminal counsel and campus counsel, address Fifth Amendment concerns, and sequence statements carefully to minimize risk.

Academically, Title IX matters can impact immediate enrollment status, housing, eligibility for student employment, research opportunities, clinical rotations, and graduate placements. For employees and graduate students, there may be licensing and professional reporting duties that require strategic planning before resolution.

Common Pitfalls We Help You Avoid

One mistake is treating supportive measures as purely remedial. They are strategic. The terms of a no contact directive, for example, can affect how later interactions are interpreted. Another mistake is ignoring the difference between Title IX prohibited conduct and non Title IX prohibited conduct. That labeling can change whether a live hearing and advisor led cross examination occur. Finally, under Article 129 B, terms like affirmative consent and amnesty provisions have specific meanings. Misstating them in writing can undermine credibility later.

Why Choose Saland Law For A Cornell Matter

We know the federal framework, and we know New York’s overlay. We track Cornell’s updates to Policy 6.4 and procedures, including the university’s notice that it did not implement the 2024 federal rule and continues to apply procedures consistent with the 2020 regulations after the nationwide vacatur. That context allows us to anticipate how a hearing will run, what advisors may ask, and what evidence will carry the most weight.

We also understand that a campus case is about more than the hearing itself. It is about academic progress, reputation, mental health, and future opportunities. Our approach is practical and compassionate, and it reflects the reality that both complainants and respondents need clarity, advocacy, and steady counsel.

What To Do Right Now

If you are a Cornell student or employee facing a Title IX issue, act quickly. Save messages, photos, emails, and any content that may matter. Write down a timeline while details are fresh. Do not contact the other party. If you have been served with a notice, do not respond substantively before consulting counsel. If you want supportive measures or to discuss your options confidentially, we can help you ask for the right protections in the right way.

Saland Law advises complainants and respondents in Cornell Title IX matters across the country. Contact us to schedule a consultation with an advisor who understands the Title IX framework and New York’s affirmative consent regime. We will roll up our sleeves with you, develop a strategy that reflects your goals, and stand with you from first report to final resolution.