Woman drops FIJI fraternity, one brother from sex assault lawsuit

IOWA CITY — A former University of Iowa student who three years ago filed a lawsuit against the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, its UI chapter and two former fraternity brothers she accused of sexually assaulting her, recording it and sharing the images over social media has dropped her case against the fraternity and one of the members she sued.

Makéna Solberg — who identified herself publicly as a victim in the Sept. 5, 2020, incident that captured widespread attention and led to campus protests in 2021 — is maintaining Carson Steffen as the sole defendant in her October 2021 lawsuit.

Her suit at one point included six defendants — accusing various entities tied to the fraternity, which goes by FIJI, of failing to supervise its members, protect house guests and take preventive measures. Solberg also accused the fraternity of aiding and abetting the members she accused of assaulting her.

“Other members of Iowa FIJI, including but not limited to officers of Iowa FIJI instructed those who had received the video or photographs to delete the material and to not report the incident, but instead to maintain silence and solidarity on the matter,” Solberg stated in court documents.

In August, both Solberg and the fraternity asked a judge to preemptively rule in their respective favor — thereby negating the need for a trial, which is scheduled for Nov. 5.

Steffen also in August filed a lengthy resistance to Solberg’s request for summary judgment — laying out in 18 pages “disputed facts” and counter claims, including that she consented to both the sex and it being photographed. He also backed up his allegations of defamation against her.

“Makéna made multiple posts on social media falsely indicating that she had been raped,” according to Steffen’s resistance. “She made both a ‘post’ and a ‘story’ on her Instagram account that depicted her at a public protest holding a sign which read ‘Arrest My Rapist’.”

A judge had not ruled on the motions for summary judgment when Solberg in recent days dismissed from her lawsuit the fraternity, its various entities and the other fraternity brother she said was involved.

In January, Solberg asked a judge to dismiss a separate lawsuit she had filed against a third UI student for sharing a video recording of the incident with others.

Because Solberg dropped that lawsuit and dismissed the fraternity and member from her ongoing lawsuit “with prejudice,” she can’t refile against them.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

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