July 4th, 2020. The first day @cwru.survivors, an anonymous instagram page exposing the appalling culture of sexual violence on our campus, was created. Since that day, 345 survivors of rape, sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination have been made known to the Case Western Reserve University community. Additionally, 93 students and alumni have come forward about racial bias on campus through @black.at.cwru, and 105 individuals have spoken out about LGBTQ+ discrimination on campus through @lgbtqatcwru. The culture at CWRU, which is promoted to potential and current students as accepting, progressive, and welcoming, demonstrated in the past month that it is falling short. And that needs to change. Our students and community deserve change.

Greek Life on college campuses has a long history of being a breeding ground for misogyny, assault, racism, homophobia, and discrimination. Greek Life at CWRU is often applauded for being “different.” It is becoming increasingly clear that it is not “better” than any of the programs it intends to differentiate itself from. CWRU’s Greek Life Office (GLO) promotes four pillars of Greek Life on its campus: Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, and Ritual. The GLO’s intention behind the pillar of Citizenship states, “Through the Greek experience, students develop concern for the well-being of others, contribution to their communities, and engage with people who are different than them.” 

In light of recent stories from alumni, students, faculty, and staff, this Greek Life Pillar proves to be more of a theory than a reality. With 34% of Case’s students being affiliated with a fraternity or sorority, Greek Life has proven to be a significant part of a student’s college experience. There needs to be change. There needs to be systemic reform. Greek Life at CWRU, or at any college campus, cannot continue this way. Beyond Greek Life, this campus itself is unsafe for students; it already has been unsafe for so many of us.

Since the time of the first story being released on a survivor page, Case Western Reserve University and the GLO have made no statement addressing the stories that have been told and the claims of futility in Title IX. As an institution conceived to be a place of safety and refuge for survivors, Title IX has shown to be unhelpful, victim blaming, and made seemingly inaccessible to students and those who need it most. Fraternities have been accused of gang rape and sexual assault ‘initiations.’ Campus police officers have been accused of victim blaming. Professors and faculty have not been held accountable for inappropriate behavior. CWRU’s sexual misconduct policy states that, “choosing not to pursue university or criminal action, does not remove responsibility of the university to investigate and/or take action,” regardless of anonymity. The university has shown time and time again that it has not upheld this responsibility. 

Therefore, change must start with us. If CWRU and the GLO will not take it upon themselves to lead these necessary transformations, then we must persuade them to do so with the power of our voices. This petition was created to hold the organizations on this campus and the school itself accountable. We are demanding that: 

1. Case Western Reserve University releases a statement to acknowledge and support the survivors who have been brave enough to share their story with the community.
   • Case Western additionally releases a statement condemning the assaulters who have been accused, and that believing survivors, taking concrete action against the accused, and ensuring the culture on campus is drastically altered, is the school’s priority.
2. CWRU releases a statement addressing the GLO and CWRU’s failure to provide a safe environment for students to report and seek help for their assault or harassment. (This extends to CWRU police, its TItle IX office, and CWRU faculty and staff). 
3. CWRU devises a transparent plan for the fall semester to tackle sexual assault, racism, discrimination, and LGBTQ+ discrimination on CWRU’s campus. 
4. CWRU updates their systems of accountability/access to reporting. While anonymous reports are allowed, it is unclear how the university collects these reports/if there is a system set up to do so. This specifically includes revamping their Title IX resources and focusing on expanding their efforts.
5. The hired leadership of the GLO, Mark Starr in particular, must also personally address the failures of the CWRU Greek community, including but not limited to: accusations of sexual misconduct, racism, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and the perpetuation of elitist ideals. The GLO must be held responsible for addressing their chapter members, investigating all accusations and holding perpetrators accountable, and initiating massive reform.
6. The GLO disbands all Greek Life organizations and begins internal investigations into the claims made against the accused Greek Life chapters. The only way reform will be accepted is if the culture behind Greek Life is dramatically altered by changing the recruitment process, disbanding fraternities accused of assault, and providing education to ALL Greek Life members that includes, but is not limited to
   • Consent
   • Racial equality and justice
   • Acknowledgement of systematic discrimination
   • Positive Greek Life culture, past hazing
7. Finally, CWRU must hold the GLO accountable to ensure these changes take place.

We are disheartened and traumatized from reading the stories of survivors and victims of discrimination the past few weeks. Students will not rest until these demands are met. It is not safe for students to return to campus knowing that the administration does not care for the physical and emotional wellbeing of their students. We deserve a true culture of care, where we are supported and uplifted by our fellow Greek Life members, and heard and respected by our administration. We deserve transparency and accountability from the institution that is meant to provide a healthy and safe environment for its students. 

Be a part of the change by signing this petition and continuing to reach out to the GLO and CWRU leaders that are complicit in this culture of discrimination and pain. 

Resources: 

Mission Statement: https://case.edu/stage/about/mission.html#:~:text=Vision%20%2B%20Core%20Values-,Mission,on%20all%20forms%20of%20inquiry
Office of Equity: https://case.edu/equity/
Sexual Misconduct and Title IX policies: https://case.edu/equity/sexual-misconduct-title-ix
Discrimination and Harassment policies: https://case.edu/equity/discrimination-and-harassment