Key facts
- Ohio State University agreed to a $100 million settlement.
- The settlement resolves claims against former campus doctor Richard Strauss.
- 279 of 280 former students involved accepted the settlement.
- Allegations of abuse span from 1978 to 1998.
- Previous settlements in February totaled over $60 million for 304 survivors.
Ohio State University has agreed to a $100 million settlement to resolve lawsuits brought by former students who accused the school's campus doctor, Richard Strauss, of sexual assaults that occurred between 1978 and 1998. The settlement, ratified by the university's board, covers 279 out of 280 former students who filed claims. This agreement follows years of litigation and previous settlements in February that totaled over $60 million for 304 survivors. A 2019 report indicated Strauss abused at least 177 men, with university staff allegedly failing to act on knowledge of the abuse. The allegations include groping and fondling under the guise of medical examinations, leading over 500 plaintiffs to sue Ohio State for deliberate indifference. The school has fought lawsuits in federal court since 2018 brought by former student athletes against the university over its failure to stop abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss.