Settlement agreements reached for cases involving Strauss

Settlement agreements reached for cases involving Strauss

University has settled with 304 survivors for more than $60 million

The Ohio State University has reached an additional eight settlements with survivors in cases involving Richard Strauss. This settlement resolves all claims in two different plaintiff groups.

Ohio State has now reached settlement agreements with more than half of all plaintiffs, 304 survivors, for more than $60 million. No taxpayer, tuition or restricted donor funds are utilized for these settlements.

The most recent settlement is for a total of $800,000 - or $100,000 for each survivor - and joins earlier settlement agreements announced in July 2022, April 2022, October 2020, May 2020 and March 2020.

All former students who filed lawsuits were previously offered substantial settlements as part of earlier agreements. Past settlements have been reached through a court-administered mediation process or through an individual settlement program established by the university in 2021.

All eight participating plaintiffs have agreed to dismiss their claims against the university. As with previous settlements, these agreements do not prohibit individuals from talking about Strauss' abuse publicly.

Ohio State also remains committed to medical and clinical support for survivors. Since 2019, the university has covered the cost of professionally certified counseling services and other medical treatment for survivors and their families for as long as needed, including reimbursing survivors for counseling and treatment received in the past. No contact with the university is required to receive this support, and service provider Praesidium does not share identifying information with Ohio State.

Strauss was a university-employed physician from 1978 to 1998. He died in 2005.

In March 2018, Ohio State received a report from a former student-athlete about sexual abuse by Strauss decades earlier. The university quickly announced an independent investigation, and all relevant information, including thousands of related public records and university communications, remains available online.

University resources

The safety and well-being of every person on campus is Ohio State's highest priority, and the university has taken numerous steps over the last 25 years to implement and enhance policies that protect students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Ohio State actively promotes a safe and healthy campus community, does not tolerate sexual misconduct, and is committed to advancing a culture of civility and respect. Anyone who has experienced sexual misconduct should report it to the university's Civil Rights Compliance Office, Ohio State's anonymous reporting service or law enforcement.

Additional resources can be found at the Strauss Investigation website.

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