Cornell University has implemented a new policy prohibiting students from processing wild game in residential kitchens following an incident in September 2025 where two students skinned a black bear in a dormitory kitchen.
The university confirmed the rule change was a direct response to the 2025 incident involving students in Ganędagǫ Hall, where a bear carcass was brought into a communal kitchen for processing. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation investigated but found no violations of hunting laws, and no charges were filed.
Under the updated housing rules, students are now barred from “skinning, butchering, or otherwise processing wild game animals” in residential buildings. The policy still permits students to store and cook legally obtained game meat in dorm kitchens.
Food safety concerns prompted the university’s action. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that raw or undercooked wild game, including bear meat, can carry trichinella parasites, which cause trichinellosis. Following the incident, Cornell temporarily closed the kitchen and had it professionally cleaned before reopening.
One of the students involved, Aaron Chin, later discussed the incident on the MeatEater podcast. Chin stated that he and his hunting partner had planned to process the bear at a friend’s home but claimed the friend had an emergency, leaving them without a location. Chin asserted they had reviewed campus rules beforehand and believed they were in compliance.
The incident sparked widespread discussion on campus and online, with some students and observers criticizing the university’s response while others supported the new policy. Cornell has not publicly addressed the broader debate but confirmed the rule change to student media outlets.