Cornell University has garnered national attention for its unprecedented attempt to effectively deport Momodou Taal, an international student over his brief appearance at a nonviolent protest at the Statler Hotel. While drastic, this action by the administration is not a random aberration; rather, the University has a history of using its institutional power against students who speak out on matters of conscience.
In the spring of 2017, Provost Michael Kotlikoff and Associate Judicial Administrator Christina Liang, the same administrators responsible for persecuting Taal today, used a playbook to persecute Mitch McBride ’17.
McBride leaked documents detailing the University’s attempts to slash financial aid costs to The Cornell Daily Sun. These Admissions and Financial Aid Working Group recommendations would have effectively restricted access to Cornell’s resources and education to those who could afford it. The proposals were widely criticized, with one student remarking that they starkly contrasted with Cornell’s motto, “Any person, any study,” turning it into “Any person who is rich enough to come to Cornell.”
Although McBride did not receive financial aid, he believed the broader community deserved to be involved in decisions that could significantly alter the university’s mission, stating, “…the community needed to be involved before such a drastic decision was going to be made.”
Firm in his belief that he was upholding another Cornell principle, “Do the greatest good,” McBride did not hide his actions. He openly admitted to sharing the documents with The Sun to Christina Liang, who was then an associate judicial administrator. In response, Liang proposed a plea deal with several provisions, including the punitive measure of a disciplinary record until 2023. McBride rejected the deal, fearing it would impact his future academic opportunities. After a public hearing, McBride was cleared of all charges, with the board determining that he had not violated the Campus Code of Conduct.
The McBride case follows the same playbook as the current situation involving Taal, who Cornell has temporarily suspended and threatened with deportation for his support for Palestine — all without due process.
Their playbook is simple: cast dissenters as criminals to manufacture consent for draconian punishments to chill free speech. Using this playbook, administrators can penalize students behind closed doors, where no one will question their blatant abuse of power and disregard for due process, where they wield the most power.
First, Interim President Kotlikoff consistently misrepresents student actions, painting them with a veneer of criminality. How Kotlikoff and the academy spoke about McBride, “To forge, fraudulently alter, willfully falsify, or otherwise misuse University or non-University documents,” one would think that Cornell was dealing with Julian Assange himself — or perhaps that Taal led a small group of Spartans into the Statler hotel.
Second, the administration has weaponized the Student Code of Conduct, broadening its plain-text language to rationalize its usage. In 2017, law professor Kevin Clermont, who revised the Code in 2007 and 2008, told The Sun “that neither of the provisions McBride is accused of violating apply to the circumstances in his case.” Similarly, the provision of temporary suspension used against Taal was written to remove individuals who posed an imminent threat to campus safety in the form of sexual assault or death threats. For example, when Patrick Dai posted death threats to Jewish students on Greek Rank almost a year ago, he was correctly removed from campus and held responsible for his actions. That level of response remains to be seen for Cornell’s fraternities.
But unlike Patrick Dai’s posts or cases of sexual assault, Taal’s peaceful protest of a job fair does not and did not threaten the safety of anyone on campus, contrary to Kotlikoff’s claims.
Once these steps are established, the administration bypasses due process, denying students a proper hearing before the Office of Judicial Administrator by enlisting the chief enforcer, Liang, to impose harsh and unjust punishments without due process. Liang should strongly consider that individuals “just doing their job” are historically never looked at kindly.
Despite the similarities between the Taal and McBride cases, there is one notable difference: when attempts to make an example of McBride were met with intense backlash, Cornell was forced to change course. McBride was eventually granted due process and a public hearing, where he was cleared of all charges. Taal has yet to receive any due process or hearing despite his public appeal and union protections. No wonder Taal, an international and Black student, feels like he is being targeted because of his identity.
Under the leadership of Interim President Michael Kotlikoff, Cornell is once again punishing students who expose the institution’s hypocrisy — suspending freedom of expression and censoring dissenters to avoid discussions about divestment.
The chain of causality that led to Taal’s punishment began in the spring of 2024 when the administration introduced the controversial Interim Expressive Activity Policy. The IEAP has been condemned and protested against by faculty, criticized by student assembly, The Sun’s Editorial Board and even librarians for creating a “chilling effect” on campus, as students fear punishment for speaking out against injustices. This is not unlike the administration’s response to McBride’s actions.
The administration prefers this approach because their charges — and, in this case, their racialized rhetoric — do not hold up to scrutiny. They hope the public will look away.
However, Kotlikoff overreached in his attempt to impose what he viewed as absolute justice, thrusting Cornell into the national spotlight.
Far from crushing dissent, these draconian measures have further galvanized the Cornell community to raise their voices to protect civil disobedience.
Alaa R. Farghli is a former graduate student worker in the field of Genetics, Genomics and Development within the Biomedical Sciences department. He is a current temporary staff member at the College of Veterinary Medicine. He can be reached at [email protected].