Ohio State University President Michael Drake says the sexual misconduct investigation into former Ohio State doctor Richard Strauss is on schedule, and that the university will release the full report when it's completed.
“That’s our intention. There’ll be some parts of it that we would want to be thoughtful about specifically,” Drake said on WOSU's All Sides with Ann Fisher Thursday. “We had assured survivors that they could come forward anonymously. So we’d want to make sure as we can that that’s the case.”
Strauss, who worked at the university from the 1970s-1990s, has been accused of sexual abuse by more than 150 students. Strauss took his own life in 2005.
During his "State of the University" address in January, Drake said "the investigation is nearing its end." He now expects a report by the end of April. Seattle-based law firm Perkins Coie is conducting the independent investigation, which began 11 months ago.
Drake says the university sent out hundreds of thousands of emails encouraging survivors and witnesses to come forward.
“We really, really appreciate the courage of the survivors and witnesses who came forward to share information to help make this a thorough report,” Drake says.
Dozens of former students have joined class-action lawsuits against the university, accusing officials of ignoring and failing to stop Strauss' abuse. A federal judge in Cincinnati will handle mediation between the men and Ohio State.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is currently investigating the university over its handling of complaints against Strauss.
