Student group scraps Cornell homecoming show to back Jane Doe

Cornell University will not have its homecoming concert this year. The student group behind the show pulled it to stand with the woman at the center of the school's sexual assault scandal.

Show called off

The Cornell Concert Commission had booked indie-pop pair Between Friends for an Oct. 17 performance at Barton Hall. The group announced on social media that the event is off.

The students said they were taking a stand for the alleged victim known as Jane Doe. They wrote that "we stand with Jane Doe and all survivors of sexual violence." They also urged university leaders to do more for survivors.

A charity show instead

The commission apologized to fans who had planned to go. It said Between Friends hopes to play for the Ithaca crowd down the road.

In its place the group is planning a benefit concert with local acts such as student bands and DJs. Every dollar raised will go to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.

Growing pressure on Cornell

The move adds to the criticism Cornell faces over how it handled claims of a gang rape in 2024 at the Chi Phi fraternity house.

Text messages that have surfaced in recent weeks show accused student Jonathan Newell apologizing to Doe a few days after the alleged assault. In a separate exchange former fraternity member Matthew Ingalls comforted her about campus gossip.

The Tompkins County District Attorney recently reopened the investigation into Doe's case. The accused students have not been convicted of any crime.