Dozens of University of Chicago students and community members gathered Wednesday evening on the Hyde Park campus to protest sexual violence and call on the university to strengthen its response to allegations of assault. The demonstration took place in the Main Quadrangle, where participants held signs with messages such as “We deserve a rape-free campus” and “Protect survivors, not rapists,” and chanted “We are Jane Doe” as they voiced demands for institutional action.
The rally follows two recent accusations of sexual assault linked to fraternity parties near the university. One woman reported she was assaulted on Oct. 11 at an Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity event, according to a police report obtained by media outlets. A second allegation emerged in a lawsuit filed earlier this month, accusing members of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity of assaulting a woman at a party on Feb. 7. These incidents have intensified scrutiny of fraternity culture and campus safety, reflecting a broader national conversation sparked by a high-profile lawsuit filed in September at Cornell University involving sexual assault allegations against fraternity members.
While the University of Chicago has stated that fraternities are not officially affiliated with the institution, activists emphasized during the protest that the distinction between “on-campus” and “off-campus” fraternities can be misleading. The Alpha Delta Phi house is located near academic and residential buildings on campus and is visible from the protest site.
Speakers, including fourth-year student Ella Fast, called for the university to respond by Nov. 20 with specific measures. These include revising disciplinary policies to mandate minimum consequences for sexual misconduct, creating a required sexual education and assault awareness course, and commissioning an independent audit of the university’s Police Department, Title IX office, and student conduct procedures.
In response, university spokesperson Gerald McSwiggan reiterated that sexual misconduct violates campus policies and that reported cases are handled seriously, with support offered to victims. Disciplinary decisions are made by a committee composed of trained faculty, staff, and students. McSwiggan also noted the university’s commitment to ongoing evaluation and improvement of its policies and welcomed input from the community.
Despite these assurances, Fast urged sustained advocacy beyond the protest, emphasizing that support for survivors should not wane after a single event or news cycle. “We cannot pick and choose which days we will support Jane Doe,” she said.
Second-year neuroscience student Seazen Lu expressed disappointment over the administration’s handling of recent incidents, saying the university appeared more concerned with its reputation than student safety. “Part of the reason I’m here at this protest is to at least do my part to make sure that they care about this problem,” Lu said.
Business economics and creative writing student Yvette Hankish echoed the frustration felt by many participants. Holding a sign condemning perpetrators and enablers, she said, “We’re angry. This huge crowd of people...came here because they wanted to make sure that their voices were heard,” adding that students are fatigued by having to organize protests and that accountability should come from the university.