Cornell’s President Michael Kotlikoff was cornered and trapped in his car by anti-Israel activists. When he tried to back out they stepped behind his car, and claimed he ran over one of the activist’s feet. When he tried to pull forward, they stepped in front of his vehicle. He finally was able to drive out.
The activists then launched a campaign against him to demand his removal.
I offered multiple media comments on the incident, concluding that the activists used a “decision dilemma” tactic on him and were responsible, Cornell Anti-Israel Activists Use “Decision Dilemma” Tactic To Confront and Trap University President:
The Board of Trustees appointed an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate, and it just released its findings backing the President, in an all campus email at 10:03 a.m. today that was also posted on the Cornell website (emphasis added)
The Ad Hoc Special Committee of the Board of Trustees, composed of the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Board of Trustees, has completed its review of the events of April 30, 2026, involving Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff and a group of individuals.In concluding its review, the Committee considered evidence gathered by the Cornell University Police Department (CUPD), which included information gathered at the scene of the incident, verified video footage, and a sworn statement provided by President Kotlikoff to CUPD. The individuals at the scene who reported that the vehicle made contact refused medical treatment from the EMS team and refused to provide sworn statements as to their account of the incident. None of the individuals at the scene have provided sworn statements to CUPD, despite CUPD’s repeated attempts to collect sworn statements in the days following the incident. Consistent with its commitment to ensuring a fair and thorough process, the Committee also engaged independent legal counsel to evaluate the independence and integrity of CUPD’s investigation into these events.The Committee has determined that the investigation conducted by CUPD was done pursuant to existing policies without any bias or undue influence. The Committee thanks CUPD for its professionalism and diligence in its independent investigation.The Committee has found that the actions taken by these individuals on April 30th, which included following President Kotlikoff from an evening event into a parking lot and impeding his ability to leave, are inconsistent with university policies governing expressive activity and our standards for respectful conduct, safety, and the prohibition of intimidation.CUPD presented the evidence collected to the Tompkins County District Attorney’s office, which determined that no criminal charges were warranted against any individuals involved in this matter. President Kotlikoff has declined to pursue a complaint against the students involved, which would have been required to initiate action under the university’s code of conduct. Appropriate action is being taken against the non-students involved.Robust debate and peaceful protest are essential to academic life. Expressive activity must occur within the bounds of the law and with respect for the rights and safety of all members of our community. Over the course of his decades-long tenure at Cornell, President Kotlikoff has conveyed his strong belief that with freedom, particularly freedom of speech, comes responsibility. We urge our community to foster and uphold an environment where we allow for debate and dissent practiced with civility, respect, and accountability.President Kotlikoff has shown a steadfast commitment to Cornell’s values and principles, and we are confident he will continue to lead with integrity as we work together to carry out our shared mission to discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge, to educate the next generation of global citizens, and to promote a culture of broad inquiry throughout and beyond the Cornell community.
Fox News covered the story and quoted me:
Cornell Law School Professor William Jacobson said the board’s decision confirmed what publicly available videos had already shown.”The result of the Board of Trustees investigation into the incident between activists and Cornell’s President confirms what the public videos showed — reckless conduct meant to trap and confront the President in a dangerous manner, and highly questionable claims of injury by the activists,” Jacobson said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
It’s a mistake for the university not to press student code charges against the students involved. The activists created a very dangerous and arguably illegal provocation, and the claim of the car running over a student’s foot is highly questionable.
Unfortunately the activist community at Cornell will take from this that no matter how aggressive their provocations targeting specific individuals, there will be no consequences.
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