LSU and 10 former students reached a settlement in a lawsuit concerning the alleged mishandling of sexual assault and domestic violence complaints against football players and others at Louisiana's flagship state university.
US District Judge Wendy Vitter issued an order on March 28, stating, “The Court has been advised that the parties in this matter have settled all of their claims and have agreed to amicably resolve this dispute.”
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
In the 2021 civil case, four plaintiffs accused former star running back Derrius Guice of sexual misconduct.
Another plaintiff, former LSU women's tennis player Jade Lewis, claimed that LSU failed to properly respond to reports that she was being abused by former Tigers receiver Drake Davis during their relationship.
The lawsuit revolved around federal Title IX laws, which prohibit gender-based discrimination, harassment, or violence.
These allegations, dating back about a decade, resurfaced against former university leaders after they had left the institution. Former LSU football coach Les Miles and ex-university President F.
King Alexander faced repercussions in subsequent positions.
Miles, who coached at LSU from 2005 to 2016 and won a national title, lost his job at Kansas in 2021. Oregon State fired Alexander as its president.
During Alexander's tenure at LSU, allegations that Miles made improper sexual advances toward female students working in the football office were kept private by the university and its law firm in 2013, despite a recommendation by then-athletic director Joe Alleva that Miles be fired.
In 2021, LSU commissioned the Husch Blackwell law firm to review its handling of sexual misconduct complaints.
The firm's 148-page report, widely circulated, highlighted campus-wide issues, including complaints against fraternity members.
However, the more prominent complaints involved football players, such as Guice, who was released by his NFL team in Washington in 2020 following a domestic violence arrest.
The report concluded that LSU had failed to allocate sufficient resources to Title IX compliance and often hindered rather than aided alleged victims.
Reports of sexual misconduct or physical abuse were allegedly filed against nine players who competed under Ed Orgeron, who succeeded Miles as coach in 2016. Orgeron led LSU to an unbeaten record and a national championship in 2019.
While some accused players were disciplined and left LSU, others, including Guice, departed the university in good standing and were drafted into the NFL.
The Husch Blackwell review primarily criticized LSU administrators, noting that coaches generally lack the expertise to handle sexual misconduct complaints and should refer them to Title IX compliance officials.
The most severe punishment handed down to current LSU employees was suspensions of about a month for deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry and senior associate athletic director Miriam Segar, who were found to have mishandled multiple sexual misconduct complaints.