Ohio State University will pay $100 million to settle claims that a former team doctor sexually abused student athletes and other patients over nearly two decades, the university announced. The agreement resolves one of the largest institutional abuse scandals in American higher education and closes a legal chapter that stretched across multiple federal lawsuits.
The settlement covers claims tied to Dr. Richard Strauss, who served as a team physician and student health center doctor at Ohio State from 1978 to 1998. Strauss died by suicide in 2005. An independent investigation commissioned by the university and conducted by the Perkins Coie law firm found in 2019 that Strauss sexually abused at least 177 students across his tenure, and that university personnel at various levels knew of complaints but failed to stop him.
The $100 million agreement resolves the remaining federal lawsuits filed by former students who alleged Strauss abused them during medical examinations and appointments. Just the News reported that the university had already paid out approximately $60 million in earlier settlements related to the Strauss cases. The new agreement brings the total institutional payout to roughly $160 million.
Ohio State Board of Trustees Chairman Gary R. Heminger released a statement addressing the settlement.
"The university is committed to supporting survivors and ensuring the safety and well-being of our campus community."
The lawsuits alleged that Strauss used his position as a physician for multiple athletic teams, including wrestling, to conduct unnecessary and inappropriate examinations. Former athletes described patterns of abuse that went unchallenged for years despite complaints to coaches, trainers, and athletic department administrators.
The 2019 independent investigation proved devastating to the university's institutional reputation. Investigators found that Strauss had abused students across at least 16 varsity sports, as well as patients at the student health center. The report concluded that Ohio State personnel, including supervisors and administrators, were aware of complaints and allegations about Strauss as early as 1979.
Despite those complaints, Strauss continued practicing at the university for nearly two more decades. The investigation found no evidence that the university took meaningful action to investigate or halt the abuse during that period. Universities across the country have faced growing legal and financial exposure for institutional failures tied to oversight and accountability, and the Ohio State case stands among the most costly examples.
Strauss eventually retired from the university in 1998. He retained his medical license and continued practicing privately until his death in 2005. The full scope of his conduct did not become public until years later.
The federal cases began in 2018 after former student athletes came forward publicly with allegations. Hundreds of men ultimately joined the litigation, describing abuse that occurred in locker rooms, examination rooms, and athletic facilities. The plaintiffs alleged that Ohio State bore institutional responsibility for enabling Strauss by ignoring or suppressing complaints over decades.
Ohio State initially fought some of the claims on statute-of-limitations grounds, arguing that the allegations fell outside the legal window for civil suits. Federal courts rejected several of those arguments, allowing the cases to proceed. The rulings marked a significant development in how courts handle delayed-disclosure abuse claims against large institutions.
The legal battles drew national attention in part because of their political dimension. Former U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, who served as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State from 1987 to 1995, faced questions about what he knew regarding Strauss. Jordan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of abuse. Some former wrestlers publicly disputed that denial, while others supported Jordan's account. Investigators have not publicly concluded that Jordan had direct knowledge of the abuse.
Questions about how universities handle misconduct and compliance obligations have drawn increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and federal agencies in recent years. The Ohio State case became a flashpoint in that broader debate.
The 177-student figure from the Perkins Coie report represented a minimum confirmed count. Investigators acknowledged that the actual number of victims was likely higher, given the passage of time and the reluctance of many survivors to come forward. Strauss treated thousands of students over his two-decade career at the university.
Former athletes described a culture in which Strauss's behavior was treated as an open secret. Some said coaches and trainers made jokes about Strauss's examinations. Others said they raised concerns directly with university staff and were told to drop the matter or were simply ignored.
The pattern bears resemblance to other high-profile institutional abuse cases, including those involving Larry Nassar at Michigan State University and Jerry Sandusky at Penn State. In each instance, investigators found that institutional actors had opportunities to intervene and failed to do so. The financial consequences have been staggering. Michigan State paid $500 million to Nassar's victims. Penn State paid more than $100 million in Sandusky-related settlements.
University President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. acknowledged the settlement in a statement, framing it as a step toward accountability.
"We remain deeply sorry for what these survivors experienced, and we are committed to ensuring something like this can never happen again at Ohio State."
The university pointed to reforms it has implemented since the Strauss revelations, including enhanced reporting protocols, mandatory training for employees, and expanded resources for survivors of sexual misconduct. Ohio State has also established an independent oversight process for complaints involving medical professionals.
Whether those reforms prove sufficient remains an open question. Institutional accountability in higher education often depends on sustained attention long after the headlines fade. Cases involving officials who allegedly failed to act on known misconduct have drawn bipartisan criticism across multiple sectors of government and public life.
The combined $160 million in settlements makes the Strauss litigation one of the most expensive abuse-related legal battles in university history. The costs extend beyond direct payouts. Ohio State has spent tens of millions more on legal fees, the independent investigation, and institutional reforms.
For the survivors, the financial settlement closes one chapter but does not erase decades of harm. Many former athletes have spoken publicly about the lasting psychological effects of the abuse and the institutional betrayal they experienced. Some have described difficulty trusting medical professionals. Others have spoken about the toll on personal relationships and careers.
Large institutional payouts tied to court proceedings have become a recurring feature of the American legal landscape. From property recovery cases reaching the Supreme Court to campus abuse settlements running into nine figures, the courts have increasingly served as the venue where institutional failures carry a price tag.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether any living university officials will face individual legal consequences for their roles in failing to stop Strauss. The independent investigation identified institutional failures but did not result in criminal charges against administrators or coaches. Strauss himself was never criminally charged during his lifetime, and his death in 2005 foreclosed that possibility.
Investigators will need to determine whether the reforms Ohio State has adopted are producing measurable results or whether they amount to institutional window dressing. The university has pledged transparency, but sustained public oversight of internal compliance mechanisms remains difficult to maintain.
The Strauss case also raises unresolved questions about how statute-of-limitations laws should apply to institutional abuse claims. Several states have enacted "lookback windows" allowing older claims to proceed. Ohio's legal framework for such claims continues to develop.
A $100 million check does not buy back two decades of silence. When institutions know and choose not to act, the bill always comes due. The only question is whether anyone remembers why it was written.
