Editor’s note: This article references sexual assault.
Cornell’s annual drone and laser light show, scheduled to kick off homecoming weekend on Oct. 16, has been canceled due to the City of Ithaca’s temporary moratorium on student event permitting, according to the Homecoming schedule website and a University spokesperson’s email to The Sun.
The Ithaca Common Council passed a temporary moratorium on special event permits to Cornell and affiliated student organizations on Oct. 7. The moratorium, in effect until Nov. 5, impacts events with amplified sounds and music.
“We canceled this year’s drone and laser light show to respect the City of Ithaca’s moratorium on permits for student events,” a University spokesperson wrote to The Sun.
The event was slated for 8 p.m. on Friday at Schoellkopf Stadium, with attendance being free and open to the general public and DJ Chris Washburn opening the event.
The decision comes amid national uproar following a Sept. 14 lawsuit in which a former Cornell student, identified as Jane Doe, alleged that she was sexually assaulted and gang raped after being coerced into consuming drugs at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.
The Common Council cited the University’s alleged “failure” in its handling of the Chi Phi case in the moratorium. The action is intended to pressure the University to adopt major changes in how it deals with sexual misconduct, including requiring the Cornell University Police Department to hand over sexual assault investigations to the Ithaca Police Department.
Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo M.A. ’20 wrote that the moratorium should remain in effect “until such time that the University conducts an accounting of its protocols to prevent and prosecute crimes of sexual violence and publicly releases new standards and practices to keep our community safe,” in a statement calling for the action.
Individuals facing difficult or harmful situations are encouraged to seek support. Members of the Cornell Community with concerns about rape and sexual assault can contact Cornell Health at 607-255-5155 for 24/7 support, and Victim Advocates from Cornell Health's SHARE Office can provide personal support and assistance.
Members of the Cornell Community may consult with Student Support and Advocacy Services at studentsupport@cornell.edu or call Counseling and Psychological Services at 607-255-5155. Employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673.
For additional resources, visit health.cornell.edu/services/victim-advocacy. An Ithaca-based crisis line is available at 607-272-1616. The Tompkins County-based Advocacy Center is available at 607-277-5000. To report sexual assault, contact Cornell’s Title IX & Sexual Misconduct Office, which can be reached at 607-255-2242 or titleix@cornell.edu.
Zeinab Faraj is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a senior editor for the 144th Editorial Board. She was a features editor and an assistant sports editor on the 143rd Editorial Board and can be reached at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
