COLUMBUS, Ohio – A spokesman for OSU says the university has been praised for its handling of sex harassment and assault.
Ohio State is one of 55 colleges and universities facing federal investigation for their handling of sexual abuse allegations. All of the schools say they’re cooperating with the U.S. Education Department probe, though they’re offering scant details about what information the agency is seeking.
The Obama administration is seeking more openness about the issue of sexual violence on and around the nation’s campuses. On Thursday, the Education Department revealed its list of schools under investigation without giving details about the complaints.
The department’s Office of Civil Rights “has consistently told us that Ohio State has impressive protocols and resources for combating sexual harassment, that no major concerns or findings have been identified, and that our protocols could serve as a model for other schools around the country,” spokesman Gary Lewis Jr. told ABC News.
“We are making this list available in an effort to bring more transparency to our enforcement work and to foster better public awareness of civil rights,” assistant secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon said.
She said the inclusion of a school on then list does not indicate there has been any wrongdoing.
Denison University and Wittenberg University are the only other Ohio schools on the list.
The University of Michigan is one of the few schools to reveal anything about why the department is investigating. The probe involves the school’s handling of a reported 2009 violation of its sexual misconduct policy by then-football placekicker Brendan Gibbons, who was expelled in December.
The Obama administration has begun an effort to combat sexual assault on campus, unveiling a public-service announcement earlier in the week that featured President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and celebrities like Steve Carrell and Dule Hill.