Dear members of GLO and all AFT Local 6516 unit members,

This past week, our union has been horrified to hear of Jane Doe’s case at Cornell University, who was subjected to not only violent sexual assault, but institutional violence at the hands of Cornell Title IX, Cornell Police, and Matthew Van Houten’s District Attorney’s office. The inaction of fraternity members, Title IX / Student Conduct offices, and the “justice” system enabled this harm to go unchecked, eventually leading Jane Doe to withdraw from Cornell. This broken system is not limited to Cornell, nor is it an isolated incident. Rather, it is a culmination of systemic practices that have plagued universities (including Brown) for decades.

Cases like Jane Doe’s illustrate how the ‘internal procedures’ institutions force us to rely on are designed to protect the institution rather than to ensure dignity and justice for survivors. When prestigious institutions allow individuals accused of sexual misconduct to escape meaningful accountability, they can go on to occupy positions of extraordinary power on the Supreme Court or the Presidency. It is unacceptable that finding justice on our campuses requires relying on universities to investigate themselves. It is unacceptable that a survivor must endure years of institutional inaction before a public court case creates enough pressure for the matter to be taken seriously.

Tabassum Tamanna, a PhD Student in Pathobiology, reported repeated sexual assaults in the lab where she worked as a research assistant. Since reporting, she has been met with a years-long campaign of obstruction and retaliation, including when Brown’s Title IX office spent 9 months deliberating only to ultimately drop the case. Brown is now unjustly forcing Tabassum out of her doctoral program, all while she is caring for her children and preparing for a criminal trial in the public eye. 

“The union, as always, has stepped in as a critical advocate and a shield when I felt pushed into a corner, helping me navigate these unfair actions and fight for my right to complete my degree in a safe, fair environment.” - Tabassum Tamanna

For the last 3 years, GLO and LOCC members have had the right to use the shield of our union grievance procedure when they experienced discrimination, harassment, or sexual assault at work. As these units bargain for their next contracts, Brown is trying to take away this right and require allegations of sexual assault to be addressed solely by its Title IX office. 

As a union, we must continue to organize collectively to keep each other safe, especially women and gender minorities who are at greater risk in an unsafe workplace. We refuse to back down from ensuring real avenues for justice remain open to workers, including via the independent grievance procedure we won in the previous contracts. Workers should not have to surrender an independent avenue for seeking justice, and so long as institutions like ours protect abusers and attempt to silence survivors, we’ll keep fighting to ensure that all students and workers are afforded dignity and justice. 

Justice for Jane Doe, Tabassum, and all survivors.

- Executive Council of AFT Local 6516