'Keep the momentum': Purdue students march to continue #Metoo conversation
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Dozens of Purdue students marched across campus Friday afternoon to protest how they feel the university has responded to sexual violence at its school.
Grace Gochnauer, a sophomore at Purdue and member of the MeToo Purdue executive board, said Friday's march kept the issue at the forefront.
"I think it's really important for all of the organizations that are involved to call for change at Purdue's campus and beyond," Gochnauer said, "which we've been doing, but we want to keep the momentum, and a march is a great way to do that. ... MeTooPurdue means that we're uplifting the voices of survivors. It means that we are trying to have no one say 'me too,' and instead say 'never again.' "
More: Purdue students protest at trustee meeting with #Metoo themed signs
@MeTooPurdue is an Instagram account originally started to bring awareness of sexual assaults within Purdue Greek life, but it has grown to cover the entire university.
"The biggest (change at Purdue) we want to see is a zero-tolerance policy," Gochnauer said. "We want that to be a priority for Purdue administration to instill here. We want to call for more education, things like bystander awareness, consent trainings for new Purdue students so that when you come onto campus, you know that is something we don't tolerate."
The march ended in front of Purdue's Hovde Hall administration building where speakers from various organizations involved in the movement, including the Indiana Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign, focused on Associate Dean of Students Brandon Cutler's statements regarding what should be done to further prevent sexual assaults in Purdue's Greek life community from occurring.
The Purdue Exponent reported that Cutler, Fraternity, Sorority and Cooperative Life director, said "...if only we followed the bring your own beer policy, none of this would have happened," in regards to nine sexual misconduct and four sexual assaults that were reported.
"As you all know, Brandon Cutler made comments that are absolutely disgusting and (he) has experienced no repercussions," Noah Thomas, co-founder and co-leader of ISAAC, said. "'If you bring your own alcohol to a fraternity party, sexual assaults won't happen,' are you kidding me? What did the university do when he made those comments? Nothing. This is unacceptable. Change is needed, and Cutler has to go."
The Journal & Courier contacted Cutler for comment after the march but had not received a response Saturday morning.
In October, about a dozen students attended the Purdue University Board of Regent meeting, holding signs demanding sexual assault justice.
Hunter Sparks, a Purdue sophomore, told the Journal & Courier at the time that the protest addressed a perceived lack of response to assault accusations by Purdue leadership.
"I guess the subject is personal to me and a lot of people I know," Sparks said, "and I think that even if it wasn't, it's obligatory as both as, baseline as a student and even, feel like as a person, if you aren't wanting to support this, then reevaluate what you're supporting."
Margaret Christopherson is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email her at mtroup@jconline.com and follow her on Twitter @MargaretJC2
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue students march to keep #Metoo in the conversation
