Former BHS student vowing hunger strike at U of R until professor accused of sexual harassment is fired

A former Batavia High School student is in her third day of a hunger strike to protest the way the University of Rochester has handled sexual harassment complaints against a professor in UR's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.

Lindsay Wrobel says she won't eat until Dr. Florian Jaeger is removed from the faculty.

Wrobel is not claiming that she was sexually harassed.

Jaeger is at the center of an EEOC complaint filed against the university. 

"Until Professor Jaeger is removed from the university, there’s going to be no trust among the student body," Wrobel said. 

Wrobel graduated from BHS in 2013 and was a Top 10 member of the class.

The sexual harassment allegations have roiled the campus for more than a year but became national news after a long story in Mother Jones. There's also been coverage in The New York Times and Nature.

The university conducted an investigation into the allegations and found no evidence that Jaeger violated its policy. After complaints that the investigation failed to consider all of the evidence or interview all witnesses, the findings were appealed and a dean in another department at UR investigated the appeal and upheld the findings of the original investigation. 

At least one faculty member has resigned in response to UR's handling of the case and others have alleged retaliation for their part in the accusations. The university also investigated these complaints and found no evidence of retaliation.

After seeing Wrobel not looking well, an anonymous person called 9-1-1 on her behalf, but Wrobel reportedly declined medical treatment.

Wrobel said her hunger strike is painful and scary but she intends to persist.

"I fully intend to do this until I’m hospitalized. I think what’s of primary importance is the students on this campus feeling safe. And as of right now, they don’t, and they won’t until Professor Jaeger is removed," Wrobel said. 

Our news partner 13WHAM has been following the story:

• U of R's Seligman responds as student vows hunger strike over harassment case
• Online petition calling for resignation of ill-reputed U of R professor
• Three days into hunger strike, student isn't giving in until professor is gone