Cornell students plan sit-in to protest handling of former student's rape allegations

NPR | By Jaclyn Diaz,

A Martínez

Published October 7, 2026 at 4:44 AM EDT

Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates will lead an independent inquiry into Cornell's handling of a former student's rape allegations. Students are preparing for a sit-in Wednesday.

Related Content

Carpetbagger allegation, misplaced valor make Nevada's safe red House seat competitive

Tamara Keith

Northern Nevada has a reliably red congressional seat, represented by a Republican since it was drawn in the early 1980s. A complicated candidate and a potential blue wave this year could change that.
5 things civil rights data says about public schools

Jonaki Mehta

The federal Civil Rights Data Collection, for the first time in decades, tells us about the teacher workforce and reminds us racial disparities are still stark in American public schools.
Deep in Appalachia, a rail-to-trail project builds bipartisan support for a bridge

Joel Rose

The Trump administration has been hostile to federal spending on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. But there's bipartisan support for a multiuse trail that would connect Ohio and West Virginia.
Over 1,000 children are buried at juvenile detention centers nationwide

Jenny Abamu

Researchers uncovered the graves of more than 1,000 children next to juvenile detention facilities in 29 states. At one Maryland gravesite, 230 Black boys are buried.
Former Tennessee prisons chief also oversaw botched executions in Arizona

Chiara Eisner, Michel Martin

Before Tennessee's prisons chief stepped down in the aftermath of a horrific failed execution, he oversaw botched executions in Arizona. A review of protocols there spelled out serious issues.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.