Overview
- Students and President Michael Kotlikoff crossed paths after Thursday’s Israel‑Palestine debate, with student video showing his SUV reversing and bumping junior Hudson Athas in a campus lot.
- Kotlikoff says a group harassed and blocked him, that two people in the crowd had campus bans, and that he relied on rear alerts to back out, while the students’ video does not show anyone banging on his car.
- Cornell says it is investigating the April 30 incident, and campus EMTs who checked Aiden Vallecillo’s foot reported no serious injury.
- Students for a Democratic Cornell called the driving reckless and urged an independent inquiry, an end to suspensions of protestors, and the return of an independent student judicial system.
- The encounter reflects broader tensions over Gaza‑related protests at Cornell, where the university reports more than 80 disciplinary actions since October 2023 under rules critics say curb demonstrations.