Ohio State $100M Strauss Settlement

Ohio State University has agreed to a $100 million settlement with 279 of the 280 remaining plaintiffs in lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by former campus doctor Richard Strauss. Strauss, who worked at the university from 1978 to 1998 and died in 2005, was found by a 2019 independent report by Perkins Coie to have abused at least 177 students, with university personnel failing to investigate or take action despite knowing of complaints as early as 1979. This latest agreement, ratified by the university's Board of Trustees, follows previous settlements totaling over $61 million with 317 other survivors. The settlement aims to finalize a lengthy legal battle and address the painful chapter in the school's history, though details remain confidential until finalized. The event highlights the ongoing financial and reputational consequences for institutions facing historical abuse allegations, drawing comparisons to large settlements made by Michigan State University, University of California, and University of Michigan in similar cases.