KU students demand action from Girod as they continue protest over handling of alleged sexual assault

photo by: Journal-World photo

Protesters are shown outside KU Chancellor Douglas Girod's office on Sept. 17, 2021. Students are protesting the administration's reaction to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

A third protest stemming from an alleged sexual assault at a University of Kansas fraternity last weekend was directed at the university leaders on Friday.

A few dozen students gathered outside KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office in Strong Hall on the university’s campus chanting phrases such as “Stop protecting rapists” and “We believe her.”

The loudest chants were demands for the fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, to be banned from campus. The protesters also demanded immediate justice for the incident and held signs declaring KU’s administration complicit in the matter.

While the students chanted outside of Girod’s office, university employees could be seen inside working as usual.

Although smaller than the earlier protests this week — where hundreds of people twice gathered on the fraternity’s front lawn at 1602 W. 15th St. — the third protest attracted at least one newcomer to the cause.

Lindsey Proctor, a KU senior, said that she did not attend the earlier protests but that she wanted to attend on Friday because she believed the university was failing to protect students from sexual assault. She suggested that fraternities were part of the problem.

“The chancellor keeps doing nothing about the fact that this keeps happening,” Proctor said. “They continue to let fraternities to be part of KU, even though they continue to have problems.”

Proctor said the ongoing protests showed solidarity among students who believe more should be done for victims of sexual assault at KU. She also said she hoped the university would eventually punish the fraternity and the student who allegedly assaulted someone.

“I want them to give sexual assault victims what they deserve,” Proctor said. “They deserve justice and (right now) they really aren’t receiving justice.”

A petition calling for the fraternity to be banned from KU had received nearly 20,000 signatures as of Friday afternoon.

After the initial protest on Monday, Phi Kappa Psi said in a statement posted on social media that it was aware a “new undergraduate member” had been accused of sexual assault at the fraternity on Saturday, Sept. 11. The fraternity said it notified university officials and would cooperate with investigations.

The university has said it is aware of an alleged sexual assault at the fraternity and that the incident is under investigation.

KU officials did not specify what the university was investigating, but they told the Journal-World that KU’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX generally investigates reports of sexual assault. The university also said an investigation could take up to two months.

Additionally, the university said students who are found to have violated the university’s sexual harassment policy — which includes sexual assault — are subject to disciplinary actions that can include suspension or expulsion.

Meanwhile, whether the incident is under criminal investigation remains unclear. The Lawrence Police Department previously said in a news release that it was aware of the alleged incident, but would not say whether it was investigating or not.

Patrick Compton, a spokesman for LPD, said that in order to protect the privacy of victims the department does not provide information about sexual assault investigations, the Journal-World reported.

“We take allegations of sexual assault very seriously,” Compton said. “Part of the trauma-informed process utilized by the Lawrence Kansas Police Department focuses on empowering survivors by allowing them time and space to make their own decisions.”

He encouraged anyone who was a victim or has knowledge of a sexual assault incident to call the police at 785-832-7509.

photo by: Mike Yoder/Journal-World photo

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protestors are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder/Journal-World photo

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protestors are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

A protest organizer tells other protesters to gather around the door to KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Protesters sit beside a sign outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Protesters gather outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

photo by: Mike Yoder

A protester holds up a sign outside of KU Chancellor Douglas Girod’s office on Sept. 17, 2021. Protesters are seeking more action from KU administrators related to an alleged sexual assault involving a KU fraternity member.

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