A federal court will decide the mediator of two class action lawsuits against The Ohio State University, which claim the school ignored or failed to stop sexual misconduct by a longtime team doctor.
Doctor Richard Strauss is accused of abusing at least 150 students over the course of three decades at the university. Dozens of men filed suit against the university for failing to take action against Strauss, who died in 2005.
In a new court filing, the men and Ohio State lawyers say they on a mediator by Tuesday鈥檚 deadline and the court will have to pick.
The plaintiffs with experience handling sexual assault class action lawsuits, including mediators who handled Larry Nassar鈥檚 case at Michigan State University and the Jerry Sandusky case at Penn State University. Ohio State rejected those suggestions, saying 鈥渢he process used created controversy.鈥�
Ohio State鈥檚 proposed mediators did not have previous experience with sexual assault cases, however, and the plaintiffs said the Strauss case shouldn鈥檛 serve as 鈥渢raining ground.鈥� OSU recommended a former federal judge or a federal appeals court mediator.
The Seattle law firm Perkins Coie is still investigating the university鈥檚 handling of allegations against Strauss, who worked at the school from the 1970s-90s. No one has publicly defended Strauss.
Speaking in January, during his 鈥淪tate Of The School鈥� address, Ohio State president Michael Drake said the investigation is 鈥渘earing its end.鈥�
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
