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'We will make change' | Student activists complain of sexual assaults on UMD campus as fraternity faces discipline

Before being disciplined, Pi Appa Kalpha released a statement.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — In a call to action on the campus of the University of Maryland (UMD), Hailey Chaikin said there’s a culture of sexual assault that goes unaddressed on campus. 

As the president of the student group, Preventing Sexual Assault (PSA), Chaikin is spearheading a march Friday to shine the spotlight on what she said is an ongoing problem at the school. 

“At the end of the day the administration are the only people who can fix this problem,” Chaikin said. 

“With every university, with every institution, there are going to be these issues,” added UMD student Sara Blau.

On Sept. 8, the group PSA released a letter calling out the “lack of accountability that Greek life chapters have gotten away with” and demanded a zero-tolerance policy moving forward. 

“In writing this letter we wanted to show people we know what happened and we will make [a] change,” Chaikin said.  

Two days later, Pi Kappa Alpha, also known as PIKE, issued a statement and posted it to their Instagram account saying the fraternity “does not condone acts of sexual misconduct and takes all reports involving members, either current or former, seriously.” 

WUSA9 contacted UMD and a spokesperson stressed the school’s “deep commitment to creating a safe environment – one that is free of sexual misconduct for its students.”  

The University said that Pi Kappa Alpha was issued a "cease and desist" order this fall semester. While it is unclear why they received it, the order means the fraternity is not recognized on campus; PIKE has been banned from having any activities on campus or recruiting. 

WUSA9 reached out to the chapter president and the national organization. But as of this posting, they have not returned our inquiries.

RELATED: UMD reports record expulsions for sexual misconduct

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