Cornell University Faces Dual Scrutiny Over Sexual Assault Lawsuit and Sex Education Materials
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Cornell University is facing renewed criticism over sexual education worksheets that address group sex, BDSM and sex after alcohol or drug use, as allegations of assault at a fraternity house remain under scrutiny. Critics question whether the materials could blur consent boundaries, although there is no evidence they contributed to the alleged assault.
One worksheet, dated 2019, asks students to indicate their interest in activities including sex with multiple partners and encounters after drinking or taking recreational drugs. Other Cornell Health guides discuss fetish equipment, sex toys and mutual touching, and resident advisers were reportedly encouraged to display the materials in dormitories. Seven Chi Phi fraternity members were accused in connection with an alleged assault in October 2024; the chapter was shut down, and the district attorney declined to prosecute.
- Cornell’s sexual education materials have drawn fresh criticism.
- Worksheets discuss group sex, BDSM and sex after substance use.
- No evidence links the materials to the alleged assault.
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Cornell Health has produced educational materials on sexual health for students, including worksheets that address consensual sexual practices such as group sex, BDSM and sexual activity after consuming alcohol or drugs. These materials, which date back at least to 2019, were designed to help students understand different aspects of sexuality and have been distributed in university halls through resident advisers.
The university is now facing scrutiny over these materials following allegations of sexual assault at the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. Seven fraternity members were accused in connection with the incident; the district attorney declined to prosecute, and Cornell subsequently closed the chapter. Some have questioned whether the educational worksheets, which ask students about their interests in various sexual scenarios, could have contributed to confusion about consent boundaries.
Sexual education in universities typically aims to promote safe and consensual practices, but these materials have sparked debate about how institutions should teach students about consent and sexual health. The case illustrates broader tensions between providing comprehensive sexual education and concerns about how such information is presented, though there is no evidence the worksheets directly contributed to the alleged assault.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Educational materials that treat group sex and intoxicated sexual activity as routine scenarios potentially obscure the genuine difficulty of establishing reliable consent in such situations. The concern is not whether these materials directly caused one specific alleged assault, but whether an educational approach that normalises complex, high-risk scenarios may leave students inadequately cautious about boundaries, particularly when vulnerable individuals are involved.
The case against
Sex education that ignores how students actually behave is ineffective; ignoring group sex and substance-use contexts leaves young adults without practical guidance for maintaining consent precisely when it matters most. This educational approach reflects harm reduction—that students are best protected by learning how to navigate consent thoughtfully in complex, real-world situations rather than through silence or prohibition.
Full account
Cornell University has become the subject of intense criticism on two fronts following serious allegations of sexual assault at one of its fraternity houses. The American Ivy League institution now faces questions not only about its handling of a reported rape case from October 2024 but also regarding the explicit nature of its sexual education materials, which have come under renewed scrutiny.
The Cornell 7 lawsuit centres on allegations that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted an unnamed student at a Chi Phi house party whilst she was under the influence of substances including ketamine. Following the university's investigation, disciplinary responses proved uneven: two men were expelled whilst the remaining five received reduced sanctions, with some reportedly submitting essays to mitigate their punishments. The case has drawn prominent criticism, notably from television personality Bill Maher, the university's 1978 alumnus, who used his programme to condemn the incident and call for the abolition of fraternities altogether. Maher characterised Greek life as inherently conducive to exploitation and misconduct, arguing that male-only organisations systematically amplify negative behaviours.
Simultaneously, Cornell's sexual health education materials have attracted considerable controversy. Documents produced by Cornell Health, including a 2019 worksheet titled "Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist," present detailed inventories of sexual activities for student consideration, encompassing group sex with three or more partners and sexual activity following alcohol or drug consumption. Additional resources discuss BDSM practices and intimate physical contact. University officials have stated these materials were designed to facilitate discussions about sexual preferences and boundaries. However, critics contend that such explicit content potentially establishes problematic frameworks around consent, particularly given the allegations.
The two areas of scrutiny reflect contrasting institutional concerns. Discussion of the lawsuit emphasises unequal disciplinary outcomes and institutional failures in protecting students, whilst concerns about the educational materials raise questions about whether the university's approach inadvertently created a permissive environment regarding consent. A Cornell student who highlighted the checklist has suggested the materials create a "permission structure" for problematic behaviour. The affected fraternity chapter has been permanently debarred from campus, and the local district attorney declined to pursue criminal prosecution. The materials predate the assault allegations by several years, with no evidence suggesting they directly precipitated the incident.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 emphasises Bill Maher's celebrity commentary and calls for abolishing fraternities; Source 2 does not mention celebrity responses
Source 1 focuses on the lawsuit details and unequal disciplinary outcomes; Source 2 focuses on the explicit content of sexual education materials and consent implications
Source 1 addresses institutional failures in responding to assault allegations; Source 2 examines whether educational messaging may have blurred consent boundaries
Source 1 does not reference the university's sexual health resources; Source 2 does not engage with the lawsuit's legal proceedings or celebrity reactions