Members of UI FIJI fraternity face sexual assault allegations, petition circulates
In a petition circulating on Monday, members of the University of Iowa’s Phi Gamma Delta fraternity were accused of sexually assaulting a student in September 2020.
The Phi Gamma Delta house is seen on Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.
August 30, 2021
An online Change.org petition, describing an alleged sexual assault by members of the University of Iowa Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, has reached over 40,000 signatures, as of Monday night.
Members of Phi Gamma Delta — commonly known as FIJI — are facing allegations from Sept. 5, 2020.
The petition comes days after allegations were made against the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s FIJI chapter, which was suspended Aug. 25 while the university investigates an alleged sexual assault. Students protested in front of the FIJI house on the university’s campus, calling for the chapter to be abolished.
A protest, Abolish Uiowa FIJI, is planned to take place Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the FIJI house on the west side of campus.
Iowa City Police Department Public Safety Information Officer Lee Hermiston wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan that the police department takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously and investigate them to the fullest extent possible.
“However, we cannot comment on online petitions,” Hermiston said. “We encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of sexual assault to contact the Iowa City Police Department.”
In a statement released Monday via social media, FIJI wrote that sexual misconduct is treated with a zero-tolerance policy by the chapter and that any individuals who have proven themselves incapable of exemplary conduct have and will be expelled.
“The members of our chapter want to make a firm stance that sexual misconduct will always be found, rooted out, and justly dealt with in our community,” the statement said. “We advocate thoroughly for any and all measures that will serve to further create safe circumstances for every individual regardless of race, sex, or gender.”
The UI Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
