From the day I received your acceptance letter, I was proud to be a Spartan. Even three plus years after graduation, I proudly state that I “bleed green and white” and am “forever a Spartan.” I’ve continued to cheer for you at sporting events, because “Spartan pride never dies,” right? Wrong.
Yesterday I learned something that has completely reshaped my opinion of you. Yesterday I learned that four women who were students of your supposed great institution were victims of sexual assault on your campus and you did nothing. This is unthinkable. Unspeakable. I can no longer say, “I am proud to be a Spartan.”
Research tells us that one in three women has been a victim of sexual assault. These women are our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives and daughters. They are our classmates. They are your students. And you did nothing for them. You let them down. And in turn, you’ve let me down. You have let down every woman who has walked through your institution.
Just last year, the White House launched the “It’s On Us” campaign to help eliminate sexual violence, primarily in America’s education system. The campaign is simple: It is on us to stop sexual assault. It puts the responsibility on every single American to do their part to recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault, to identify situations in which sexual assault may occur, to intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given, and perhaps most important to this situation, to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported. Apparently, you don’t think this applies to you. Because you did not support the survivors on your very own campus and you did not convey the message to their perpetrators that sexual assault is unacceptable.
To quote your mission statement: As a public, research-intensive, land-grant university funded in part by the state of Michigan, our mission is to advance knowledge and transform lives by: advancing outreach, engagement, and economic development activities that are innovative, research-driven, and lead to a better quality of life for individuals and communities, at home and around the world.
How can you advance knowledge and transform lives when you don’t even respect and protect the lives of your own students? How can you advance a better quality of life for individuals and communities, at home and around the world when you created a community where sexual violence is accepted on your very own campus?
Michigan State University, I am disappointed in you. This injustice needs to be rectified. And until that day comes, I will no longer be cheering for you on the field, I will no longer be proudly declaring my alma mater, and I certainly will not be donating a single dime to your institution.
Sincerely,
Meagan Meldrim
Meagan Meldrim graduated from MSU in 2012
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