Banner to fly above U-M commencement ceremony in salute to survivors of sexual abuse

While graduates and their families gather in the University of Michigan stadium for commencement on Saturday, a banner will fly high above them reading, "Hail to the Victims," in solidarity with sexual assault survivors.

The banner is being sponsored by a coalition of vocal activists — including U-M faculty, survivors of alleged sexual misconduct by former U-M lecturer Bruce Conforth and athletics doctor Robert Anderson, and allies of survivors. They aim to bring to light the university's "continued resistance to protecting victims of sexual assault on campus," according to a news release by the group.

While the university has made public statements about meaningful policy changes to prevent sexual assault, Isabelle Brourman, a survivor of alleged abuse by Conforth and a member of the group, said sexual assault survivors have not heard from the administration.

In fact, Brourman said the university is "attempting to silence us."

"They have refused to answer FOIA requests to the point where I've had to open another lawsuit," Brourman said. "The amount of work that we've had to do to have any sort of respectable outcome of which we deserve is totally in opposition to the statements they are putting out about their attitudes towards sexual misconduct."

U-M spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald pointed to the changes the university has made in sexual assault prevention policy, including the creation of a large advisory group composed to students, faculty and staff to assist the Title IX office.

"We are proud of our work to combat sexual misconduct over the past several years and appreciate the important input from the many faculty experts, the misconduct survivors and the external experts who have helped inform the many actions we have taken and will continue to take," Fitzgerald said in a written statement to the Free Press.

The slogan on the banner was adopted by sexual assault survivors during the years of protests triggered by the bombshell story of widespread abuse by Anderson, first made public in February 2020 by a survivor and former student-athlete Tad DeLuca.

Since then, thousands of sexual assault survivors and their supporters have united under the slogan to protest the university's handling of sexual assault cases on campus — from the former provost Martin Philbert to former violin professor Stephen Shipps — and lack of systemic response.

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In January, the university settled with 1,050 Anderson survivors for a total of $490 million, just $10 million less than the settlement paid to survivors of Larry Nassar's sexual by Michigan State University.

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The coalition also hopes to highlight what they view as U-M Interim President Mary Sue Coleman's complicity with the troubled system. Coleman served as U-M president in 2002-14, during which time, survivors allege, she chose to ignore allegations against Philbert in 2010 and later told investigators she did not remember being informed about the allegations, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Coleman retook the reins in January 2022 after former President Mark Schlissel was ousted by the Board of Regents because of a relationship with a subordinate.

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Weeks after her return to the role of the presidency, Coleman had the long-term camp of Anderson survivor and outspoken activist Jon Vaughn removed from outside the presidential house on campus. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Coleman stated, “It was time to go.”

Yet, Brourman said, the survivors aren't going anywhere.

"I hope they realize we have every right to speak out and to continue to try to better the university, despite their ignoring our request to have conversations. ... If they choose to facilitate that conversation great. But if not, we're still going to be having the conversation."

Brourman said she's proud of the graduates, many of whom have stood in support with students and alums who have suffered sexual abuse at U-M.

"We are flying this banner as a recognition, a salute, to survivors of sexual assault who have continued to fight an uphill battle to have their stories heard and recognized," Brourman said.

Elissa Welle is a breaking news reporter. You can email her at ewelle@freepress.com or find her on Twitter at @ElissaWelle.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Hail to the Victims' banner to fly above U-M commencement ceremony