The fortunate few who walked through Ithaca's ivy-clad campus this week should, by rights, have felt on top of the world.
asserted
who → walk → world
They had earned their places at one of America's most prestigious universities, and a dazzling future likely awaits.
asserted
future → earn → universities
Warm autumnal sunlight bathes the brick buildings: Upstate New York in the fall is undeniably one of the most magical places on the planet.
asserted
York → bath → planet
And yet dark clouds, invisible to the eye, have blotted out any joy.
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clouds → blot → joy
'It's tense,' said Olivia, a 20-year-old sophomore.
asserted
Olivia → say → ?
Cornell University is currently being battered by a hurricane, with the reopening of a two-year-old investigation into an alleged gang rape.
asserted
University → batter → rape
Seven men have been accused of sexually assaulting a female student inside a fraternity house on campus in October 2024, after allegedly having encouraged the already intoxicated woman to consume more alcohol and drugs, according to the civil lawsuit she filed last week.
uncertain
she → accuse → lawsuit
Now, a criminal investigation has been re-opened.
asserted
investigation → re → ?
On Friday, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order removing Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten, whose handling of the case in 2024 has been met with much criticism, and assigned New York Attorney General Letitia James.
asserted
handling → sign → James
Sitting on a bench in the university's central plaza, in front of an assembly hall where incensed students berated college officials at a hastily-arranged town hall on Thursday, Olivia told the Daily Mail she was furious that one of the seven accused men was still at the university.
asserted
one → sit → university
'I think that he needs to get off campus,' she said.
asserted
she → think → campus
'I don't want him anywhere near me, or my friends, or anyone for that matter.
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I → want → matter
I think his disgusting behavior should not be allowed here at Cornell, or anywhere else, any other university.
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behavior → think → Cornell
And he should just not be walking free.
asserted
he → walk → ?
'
Seven men have been accused of sexually assaulting a female student inside the Chi Phi fraternity house
asserted
men → accuse → house
The man, and his six fraternity brothers, have not been charged with any offense.
asserted
man → charge → offense
Those who have secured legal representation have denied any wrongdoing through their counsel.
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who → secure → counsel
Yet questions over his fate, and that of the others, are roiling the Ivy League institution.
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questions → roil → institution
Is he a dangerous predator, who has no business being among other students?
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who → have → students
Or is he a wrongfully accused young man?
asserted
he → accuse → ?
Regardless, as things stand, he should surely be considered innocent until proven guilty?
asserted
he → stand → ?
Olivia knows how she feels on the matter.
asserted
she → know → matter
'People who have been accused of sexual assault should just not be around other people,' she said.
'
asserted
she → accuse → people
I know friends that have shared classes with him, and it's just not OK.
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it → know → him
I just can't imagine being in that position and seeing his face.
'Especially if someone is a victim of sexual assault.
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someone → imagine → assault
I think it's a very sensitive thing and should not be taken lightly.'
The question of whether authorities took the situation lightly is now the subject of feverish on-campus debate.
asserted
authorities → think → debate
Students at Cornell, where a year's tuition for non-New Yorkers costs $75,000, said the incident was all anyone was talking about.
asserted
anyone → cost → 75,000
The case made the rounds among students at the time, but it is only this week – thanks to the civil suit and subsequent reporting – that the allegations have crystallized.
asserted
allegations → make → suit
What is known is this: on the night of Saturday, October 19, 2024, the young woman went to her sorority house on campus for drinks before going with her friends to a bar in downtown Ithaca, where her sorority was hosting a party.
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sorority → know → party
Then accounts differ.
asserted
accounts → differ → ?
Students at the Ivy League university, where a year's tuition for non-New Yorkers costs $75,000, said the incident was all anyone was talking about
The case made the rounds among students at the time, but it is only this week – thanks to the civil suit and subsequent reporting – that the allegations have crystallized
She claims in her complaint that despite being underage and having a stamp on her hand indicating her age, she was served drinks at the bar.
uncertain
she → cost → bar
She went from that bar, Moonie's, a neon-sloshed modern dance floor, to the exposed-brick nightclub Lot 10 around the corner, according to the complaint.
uncertain
She → go → complaint
Then, alone, she made her way to the Chi Phi fraternity house to connect with a man she was romantically interested in.
asserted
she → make → man
Inside the house, she claims in her complaint, she had intercourse with the man and then his friend.
uncertain
she → claim → man
The group took ketamine and drank more alcohol.
asserted
group → take → alcohol
At one point, the man she liked, in graphic terms, invited his frat brothers to join in.
asserted
she → like → brothers
Five more did, she claims in the complaint.
uncertain
she → do → complaint
The woman said her ordeal lasted several hours.
asserted
ordeal → say → ?
She stumbled out of the frat house back to her shared room at Alpha Beta Chapter sorority house later that morning, according to the complaint.
uncertain
She → stumble → complaint
Initially sheepish about the encounter, according to an internal 'Title IX' – sexual misconduct – investigation file obtained by the New York Times, she told her friends she had had a wild night, and reassured the two initial men that she 'really liked being w u.'
But as time went by, and the night became the stuff of campus legend, the woman grew uneasy.
uncertain
woman → accord → legend
…and 47 more, not listed.
The Aporia
