Who is Michael Kotlikoff and how much does he earn as Cornell president while facing backlash over alleged handling of the gang rape case

Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff is facing mounting scrutiny over his administration’s handling of a former student’s sexual assault allegations against seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity. The controversy has reached the university’s faculty leadership, putting renewed attention on Kotlikoff’s decisions, his academic career and the compensation he receives as head of the Ivy League institution.

Who is Michael Kotlikoff? Cornell president’s academic career

Michael I. Kotlikoff is Cornell University’s 15th president, veterinarian and a professor of molecular physiology. Appointed on March 21, 2025, he previously served eight months as interim president.


Dr. Kotlikoff became Cornell’s 16th and the longest serving provost on August 1, 2015, having been the dean of its College of Veterinary Medicine between 2007 and 2015. He has been a Cornell University faculty member since 2000, before which he served as professor and chair of the Department of Animal Biology at the University of Pennsylvania.

In scientific training, he specializes in cardiovascular biology. As stated in the Cornell faculty profile, his laboratory has received sustained support from the National Institutes of Health for more than 30 years.

His academic credentials include a degree in literature and a veterinary medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in physiology from the University of California, Davis.

His awards include the university’s J.B. Lippincott Prize for having the best scholastic average at veterinary school and the 2008 Alumnus of the Year award from UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine.

He has also served as a member of scientific advisory committees such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Board of Scientific Counselors.

Why is Cornell’s president facing criticism?

The controversy is a result of accusations made by a former student referred to as Jane Doe in court documents. The student claims that seven men sexually assaulted her at a Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024. The accused have not been charged with a crime, and the accusations are different from a guilty verdict.

According to The Associated Press and The Guardian, Kotlikoff admitted that he had been aware of the student’s accusations, but he failed to follow up on the matter. The way the president dealt with the issue received criticism from faculty members, while some of them even called for a no-confidence vote.

As a response to the backlash, the university has taken certain actions. It has suspended fraternity parties and other social events until the end of the 2026-2027 academic year.

Michael Kotlikoff’s salary and compensation

Financial disclosures offer another perspective on the Cornell president’s position. According to Philanthropy.org’s compilation of Cornell University’s tax filings, Kotlikoff received $1,298,688 in reported compensation, with an additional $107,012 listed under “other”.

The figures are drawn from nonprofit reporting records reproduced by Philanthropy.org and ProPublica. They reflect the reporting period, rather than necessarily representing his current annual salary under his permanent presidential appointment.