UChicago Rarely Expels Sexual Assault Convicts
A WBEZ analysis of nearly two decades of records shows that only seven of 36 students were expelled for sexual assault.
By Andrew Hayes ·
The University of Chicago has expelled very few students found responsible for sexual assault over the past two decades, according to a WBEZ analysis of school records. The data shows that the university often allows perpetrators to return to campus, forcing survivors to potentially encounter their attackers in classrooms and hallways.
Between 2007 and 2025, a disciplinary committee determined that 36 students had committed sexual assault. In those cases, the university expelled just seven students. The remaining 29 students received other sanctions. Nineteen of those students were suspended, with some allowed back on campus as quickly as nine weeks after the decision.
The report details the specific disciplinary outcomes for each case. It notes that most students who stayed in the program faced mental health challenges. Survey data cited in the analysis indicates that survivors who remain in college often struggle to focus on coursework and navigate daily life while their attacker is still present.
Scrutiny of how universities handle sexual violence cases has increased recently. This shift followed an alleged gang rape at Cornell University that drew national attention. At the University of Chicago, students are now pushing for stricter minimum sanctions to ensure that those found responsible for sexual violence face consistent and severe consequences.
The university’s records provide a detailed timeline of accountability. The data spans nearly 20 years of disciplinary committee actions. The low number of expulsions suggests that suspension is the preferred outcome for most students found responsible. This practice leaves many survivors in the same academic environment as their accusers.
Students at the university are advocating for changes to the current system. They want the administration to adopt more stringent rules for minimum sanctions. The push comes as two recent reports of sexual assaults with ties to the university have heightened concerns among the student body about safety and accountability on campus.
The WBEZ analysis relies on UChicago reports detailing whether students were found responsible for sexual misconduct. It examines how the university disciplined those students. The findings show a pattern of limited expulsions that keeps many offenders within the university community for extended periods.
