COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on a former Ohio State team doctor accused of sexual misconduct against students decades ago (all times local):
6 p.m.
Ohio State says it will use a third-party facilitator to help provide free counseling for former students who allege sexual misconduct by a university team doctor decades ago.
Over 150 alumni have reported they experienced misconduct by the late Dr. Richard Strauss between 1979 and 1997. An investigation is ongoing .
A letter sent Friday to 115,000 alumni from that era says Praesidium will help alumni access counseling needed because of Strauss’ conduct, and no contact with OSU is required. Those who already pursued such counseling because of Strauss can seek further resources through Praesidium.
Some Strauss accusers have sued OSU , arguing it ignored or didn’t stop Strauss’ misconduct.
An attorney for some plaintiffs says the counseling offer is a positive step but decades late.
Strauss died in 2005.
___
4:30 p.m.
Ohio State says it will help provide counseling for former students who say they experienced sexual misconduct by a university team doctor decades ago.
More than 150 alumni have reported in recent months that they experienced misconduct by the late Dr. Richard Strauss between 1979 and 1997.
The school confirmed the counseling offer Friday but didn’t publicly share details of how it would be arranged or provided. OSU says it’s committed to finding the truth and sharing findings of an ongoing investigation .
Some Strauss accusers have sued the university , arguing it ignored or failed to stop his misconduct.
An attorney for some of those plaintiffs, Stephen Estey, says the counseling offer is a positive step but “decades too late.”
Strauss killed himself in 2005. No one has publicly defended him.
___
10:25 a.m.
Men alleging Ohio State ignored or failed to stop sexual misconduct by a team doctor are recommending their lawsuits be handled by one of the mediation teams used in nationally known cases involving Michigan State and Penn State.
But Ohio State says it won’t agree to that because the handling of those cases led to controversy. The university is recommending that a former federal judge or a federal appeals court mediator be used instead in the two lawsuits against it.
They were brought by dozens of the 150-plus men who say they experienced sexual misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss during his two decades at the school, mostly in the 1980s and 90’s.
A law firm is investigating for the university.
Strauss died in 2005. No one has publicly defended him.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.