Ohio State University Settles $100 Million with Abuse Survivors
Ohio State University has agreed to a $100 million settlement with nearly 300 former students who accused a campus doctor of sexual abuse spanning two decades.
Ohio State University has finalized a $100 million settlement with 279 former students who alleged sexual abuse by Richard Strauss, the university's campus doctor, between 1978 and 1998. The settlement was approved by the university's board following years of litigation related to these accusations.
The university and a legal representative for the victims released a joint statement confirming that mediation processes are ongoing as they finalize the details of the settlement. They noted that further information would be available as appropriate. Earlier this year, the university had reached additional settlements with eight other survivors, raising the total number of impacted individuals to 304 and the cumulative financial resolution to over $60 million.
Strauss, who was associated with the university's athletic department and medical staff for nearly two decades, passed away in 2005. A report from 2019 indicated that he had sexually abused at least 177 men, primarily students, with university staff allegedly failing to respond appropriately to knowledge of the abuses, which involved inappropriate conduct disguised as medical examinations. The report contributed to over 500 plaintiffs suing the university for negligence and deliberate indifference.