From Alumni of the University of Oregon

As U of O Alumni and members of the community, we find ourselves disturbed by and ashamed of the way the university has conducted itself concerning sexual assault on campus. This has been highlighted by the recent case in the national news in which the U of O appears to have delayed investigating an alleged gang rape perpetrated by three U of O basketball players, failed to promptly notify the university community of this crime, and failed to create an entry in the crime log when the alleged gang rape was reported by the victim's father.

However, although this case has received great attention, it does not appear to be an isolated incident. Although we do not believe that it is the intention of the university to do so, there is evidence that the U of O has systematically fostered a climate of rape culture on campus.For years, the U of O administration has ignored repeated calls by students and faculty to address sexual assault crimes on campus.

As U of O Alums, we know the university is capable of so much better. We call upon the University of Oregon to address the demands of the U of O Coalition to End Sexual Violence and begin by apologizing for the mishandling of the recent alleged gang rape. As fellow alum Chris Feliciano Arnold recently wrote in the LA Times, we want “courage, not crisis management.”