COLUMBUS (WCMH) — The Ohio State University released new details Thursday in the ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against a former university-employed physician, Dr. Richard Strauss.
The university says athletes from six more sports teams have reported instances of sexual misconduct against Strauss, bringing the total to 14 men’s varsity teams. Patients of Student Health Services within the Office of Student Life have also reported misconduct.
According to the university, the sports include baseball, cheerleading, cross country, fencing, football, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling.
The firm Perkins Coie LLP is conducting the independent investigation. According to OSU, Perkins Coie is identifying and evaluating recent allegations and determining the extent the university knew about the allegations while Strauss was employed from the mid-1970s into the 1990s.
Anyone with information about incidents relating to Strauss and his time at the university are asked to contact investigators by using the email address osu@perkinscoie.com.
The university launched a website that houses information about the investigation. The website “contains contact information for Perkins Coie and human resources records related to Strauss’ employment, and identifies resources for people who have experienced sexual misconduct,” according to the university.
The university says that according to records identified to date, Strauss:
- “Joined Ohio State’s clinical faculty and the medical staff as an attending physician on Sept. 1, 1978.
- “Served as a team physician in Athletics from July 1, 1981, to June 30, 1995.
- “Was a part-time physician in Student Health Services from July 1, 1994, to Aug. 7, 1996.
- “Resigned from the medical staff on Dec. 31, 1994, and remained on the faculty until his retirement as professor emeritus on July 1, 1998.”
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office appointed Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP as special counsel to the university.