Nearly 3,000 undergraduate students at Cornell University voted in favor of two important referendums. The results, released by the Office of the Assemblies, showed that about 93.5% supported making the disciplinary system independent from university management. Around 91.7% backed the reestablishment of a campus-wide code of conduct.
Despite this strong support, the voting process faced challenges. Many students reported that the electronic ballot went to their spam folders because of an authentication error. This made it difficult for voters to participate.
Currently, Cornell’s student conduct is guided by the Student Code of Conduct and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, both revamped in 2021. Before this, Cornell had a broader Campus Code of Conduct applicable to everyone in the community and an independent Office of the Judicial Administrator. These older systems were restructured with decisions shifting to Ryan Lombardi, the vice president of student and campus life.
Voter turnout for this referendum was about 20%, a significant drop from the 46.8% turnout during a previous referendum in spring 2024, where students voted on critical issues like the Gaza ceasefire. Former President Martha Pollack ultimately rejected that earlier referendum, claiming the university should not engage in complex political matters.
Sophia Arnold, Chair of the Student Assembly’s Office of Ethics, attributed the low turnout to several factors, including timing and communication issues. She noted that holding the referendum during finals was particularly limiting. Many students learned about the December vote only on the day it started due to email mistakes.
In a statement, Student Assembly President Zora deRham confirmed the technical problems with the OpaVote system, which had not occurred in the previous three years. This unexpected glitch led to confusion and lower participation.
Discussions around the email authentication failures highlight an ongoing struggle within the university. After email threats prompted stricter policies this fall, the university promised to ensure smoother communication in future voting efforts.
For students like Aiden Vallecillo, a co-sponsor of the referendum, the OpaVote issues raised concerns about the credibility of the results. He emphasized the importance of civic engagement on campus and criticized any attempts to depoliticize student life.
With the referendums passed, the results will be forwarded to the Office of the President, which has 30 days to respond formally. This outcome reflects a strong desire among students for a more independent and transparent disciplinary system, despite the barriers they faced in voicing their opinions.
For more details on the voting process and the Student Assembly, check Cornell’s official site.
