#MeToo Purdue rallies, calls on university to fire dean of students

Protest comes after federal jury says Purdue out of line by suspending student who reported sexual assault in 2017. Purdue stands by its process, its administrators

Hey, it’s Feast weekend. And the weather and conditions look about perfect. Thanks for the sponsorship help for today’s edition from the Tippecanoe County Historical Association, as it prepares for thousands of visitors for the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon. The 55th annual Feast returns today and Sunday, Oct. 1-2, to Fort Ouiatenon, on South River Road, four miles southwest of West Lafayette. For tickets, gate prices, weekend passes, parking, shuttle information from Purdue’s Ross-Ade lot and more on the recreation of 18th century life along the Wabash River, click on the links below.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CLICK HERE

---

#METOO PURDUE RALLIES AFTER FEDERAL JURY’S VERDICT

A year after they essentially stopped a Purdue Trustees meeting in its tracks to demand attention to a series of reported sexual assaults at Greek houses and what they called the university’s tolerance of the problem, organizers of MeToo Purdue were on the steps of Hovde Hall Friday afternoon.

Galvanized this time by a federal jury’s ruling last week against Purdue in a civil case involving the university’s punishment of a student who reported a dorm room sexual assault in 2017, roughly 75 students called for the resignation or firing of a pair of administrators who were called out for retaliation in the Nancy Roe v. Purdue lawsuit.

“I’m tired of empty promises,” said Charlotte Russell, a Purdue senior who started a #MeToo Purdue Instagram feed a year ago to collect students’ accounts to sexual assault and the press the university to do more to prevent incidents.

“Here we are, still dealing with this – excuse my language – but this bullshit,” Russell said. “I know you’re angry. I’m angry, too.”

Grace Gochnauer (center), Charlotte Russell and Beth Kelley lead a march across Purdue’s campus Friday, calling for the dismissal of the dean of students and a university vice president in the wake of the Nancy Roe v. Purdue verdict a week earlier. (Photo: Dave Bangert)