Established 1826 — Oldest College Newspaper West of the Alleghenies

Opinion | No accountability for Notre Dame

William Bychowski, wbychowski@gmail.com

I would like to aware you of an outrageous, ongoing affair in the University of Notre Dame football program. I will provide a quick summary of "Notre Dame silent on teen's death" printed in the Nov. 21 edition of the Chicago Tribune. Aug. 31, 2010 - St. Mary's College (located across the road from Notre Dame) student, Elizabeth Seeburg, was allegedly the victim of sexual battery. The alleged attacker was a Notre Dame football player. Seeburg reported the attack to Notre Dame campus police, gave them a handwritten statement, went to a local hospital, consented to a DNA evidence kit and received counseling.

Notre Dame chose to allow their campus cops to investigate the alleged sexual assault rather than seek assistance from South Bend police or special victims unit.

Seeburg attempted to keep a stiff upper lip. She feared going public and wearing the sexual assault as a "scarlet letter" during her upcoming four years of college. Seeburg received counseling from Belles Against Violence. Seeburg gave two additional written statements to the campus cops as well as identified the football player in a photo lineup. Seeburg was found dead from an overdose of Effexor nine days after the alleged sexual battery. The Chicago Tribune reported county law enforcement authorities investigated Lizzy Seeburg's death, but they were not informed in their death investigation about a critical piece of information: she had filed a formal complaint of sexual assault against a specific individual.

On or around Nov. 14, the Chicago Tribune notified Notre Dame officials it would be running a story about the Lizzy Seeburg case. After Nov. 14, Notre Dame officials finally reported the alleged crime to the county prosecutor. The alleged sexual attacker will be suited up against Miami University Dec. 31.

The article also mentions the cover up surrounding the death of one of the team videographers. He was asked to film practice while in a basket at the top of a scissor lift in 55 mile per hour winds. The scissor lift tipped over and the young man died. This incident occurred Oct. 27 and there has been no suspensions or accountability assigned as of yet. I believe a show of public outrage Dec. 31 would be appropriate.