Ohio State trustees have appointed a special committee to investigate coach Urban Meyer’s handling of a fired assistant coach’s domestic abuse allegations.
The university released a statement Thursday night announcing the formation of the six-member “independent board working group.”
“This group includes current trustees Alex Fischer, Janet Porter and Alex Shumate. Also on the panel are former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, former acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Craig Morford and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Carter Stewart,” read a statement from Ohio State spokesperson Chris Davey.
Meyer was put on paid administrative leave Wednesday following a report that Meyer’s wife Shelley knew about 2015 abuse allegations against former assistant Zach Smith made by his then-wife Courtney. Meyer told reporters he didn’t know about the 2015 allegations until just before Smith was fired last month.
The university is trying to determine what Meyer knew and when he knew it, and if he failed to report the allegations against Smith to officials.
Students React
Some students say they fear football success comes before women's safety at Ohio State.
Nate Stewart, a doctoral student in education policy from Detroit, said Meyer should be fired if he knew about abuse allegations against Smith.
"We have to end this toxic environment of putting football ahead of everything else," Stewart said.
Monica Sun, a fourth-year biology major from Chicago, said she was upset by the news since Meyer is the face of Ohio State football.
"It doesn't reflect well on him if he chooses to hide something to better a football game or to better a football career, rather than an individual person's safety and mental well-being," Sun said.
