Universities must be held accountable for how they respond to sexual assault, and as both a mother with children in college and a nontraditional student at the University of Utah, I have been asking myself if we are doing enough to protect our students.
The recent reopening of the investigation into sexual assault allegations involving seven Cornell University fraternity members is deeply concerning. Unfortunately, these concerns are not limited to the Cornell campus. In September 2025, the University of Utah reported 146 sexual assault incidents in its 2024 statistics, including 110 incidents within a single abusive relationship.
As parents, we send our children to college hoping they will gain independence, build relationships, and create opportunities for their futures. We trust the universities that we send our children to to provide a safe environment where they can do so.
While prevention programs and campus policies are important, they mean little if students are afraid to come forward or feel unsupported afterward. Universities must provide accessible victim advocacy, clear reporting procedures, independent oversight, and accountability when allegations are mishandled.
I encourage Utah university leadership to openly evaluate their sexual assault response procedures and include students in identifying where improvements are needed.
Our children deserve more than a degree. They deserve campuses where their voices are heard, their safety matters, and reporting sexual violence means never facing it alone.
Kyle White, Grantsville