(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A team of investigators led by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is recommending Northwestern University enhance its hazing prevention measures, after a scandal that rocked the school's athletic department.
Dozens of former student athletes who claimed they experienced sexual, physical or mental abuse through hazing or racism sued Northwestern.
The hazing scandal led Northwestern to fire football coach Pat Fitzgerald in July of last year.
He claims he was wrongfully fired and sued the school.
Northwestern brought in Lynch and a private law firm where she is a partner, to conduct what the school called an independent review of efforts to improve how Northwestern responds to accusations of hazing, bullying and discrimination.
The report said Northwestern needs to do more to improve communication channels among student-athletes, coaches, the athletics department and university leadership. As well as allocate additional resources to help students report abuse.
A statement from Northwestern claims the report will help the school enhance the student-athlete experience.
The managing partner of Levin and Perconti, which is representing former-Northwestern football players, said the report shows the university had a culture that encouraged hazing and looked the other way.
Margaret Battersby-Black, managing partner and trial attorney with Levin & Perconti released the following statement:
“In the report released today, Northwestern’s lawyers took special care to note that the report was forward looking and was not meant to be an investigation into the past. That job is what we now have before us in our many lawsuits representing former Northwestern Football players. While we are glad for future student athletes that our clients’ suffering has caused Northwestern to reevaluate the entire student athlete landscape at the University, it is sadly for our clients, too little too late. What remains clear that these young men were abused while playing football at Northwestern in a culture that not only looked the other way, but encouraged it and also that coaches knew about it. We intend to leave no stone unturned in our investigation and in seeking justice for our clients.”
The full report is available here.
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