Cornell University President Involved in Incident with Students

The president of Cornell University, Michael Kotlikoff, reportedly injured two students during a tense altercation in a parking lot following a debate on Israeli-Palestinian issues.

Surveillance footage from last Thursday captured the moment Kotlikoff’s black Cadillac was encircled by a group of students as he attempted to leave the scene.

After reversing out of the parking space, Kotlikoff suddenly stopped his SUV while students remained around the vehicle.

As a woman stood in front of his car, she quickly moved out of the way as he drove toward her. Another student, who was taking pictures, also positioned himself in front of the car, contributing to the chaos.

Since taking the role of Cornell’s president in March 2025, Kotlikoff is accused of injuring members of a student group known as Students for a Democratic Cornell University. The group claims that during a discussion on campus speech policies, “he hit us with his car.”

They described Kotlikoff’s actions as an example of the administration’s crackdown on student expression, calling it concerning.

In footage obtained by Cornelian, a student can be heard exclaiming, “Oh! He just ran over my leg! Oh my god!” as Kotlikoff backed up.

On the following day, Kotlikoff explained that he was departing an event organized by several student groups when he was confronted by a vocal group of students. He noted that these students have a history of disruptive protests and inappropriate behavior.

He alleged, “They followed me across campus, shouting questions and recording on their phones.” After a series of inquiries, he requested them to stop recording, which led to further confrontation.

According to Kotlikoff, as the situation escalated, he felt harassed and intimidated rather than merely protested against. He emphasized this behavior should have no place in academia or society.

Conversely, Hudson Athas, a member of the Cornell University Democratic Party, countered that only one person was speaking to Kotlikoff, trying to engage him in dialogue.

This incident occurs in the context of past tensions at Cornell, relating to the Trump administration’s suspension of funding due to concerns over civil rights violations. In response to accusations of antisemitism and attempts to silence pro-Palestinian voices, Cornell recently reached an agreement to restore funding, which involved financial reparations and commitments to agricultural programs.