Northwestern is launching two external reviews of its athletic department following high-profile hazing and abuse scandals involving its football and baseball teams.
It also comes amid litigation filed anonymously by a former Northwestern athlete that named ex-head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, university president Michael Schill and athletic director Derrick Gragg among its defendants.
Schill announced the new reviews on Tuesday in a letter to the school’s faculty and staff.
They are part of an effort in the wake of the scandals to ensure that there is “appropriate accountability for the athletic department,” according to the letter obtained by ESPN.
“I will continue to do whatever is necessary to address this situation and ensure that our athletic program remains one you can be proud of and one that is fully aligned with and reflects our values,” Schills wrote. “Equally important, I give you my commitment that we will redouble our efforts to safeguard the welfare of each and every student-athlete at Northwestern.”
Fitzgerald was fired following an investigation into hazing allegations involving the football program, while baseball coach Jim Foster was ousted after the university looked into allegations of verbal abuse and bullying.
The firings took place days apart from each other.
The new reviews initiated by Northwestern will delve into how the university detects threats to athletes and how it holds the athletic department accountable.
The second review will examine “the culture of Northwestern Athletics and its relationship to the academic mission.”
“In the wake of this unfortunate situation, my job is to work closely with you to not just restore trust in the athletic program, but to make it better and more closely integrated with our academic mission,” Schill wrote.
Tuesday marked the first of what could be several lawsuits against Northwestern following the hazing scandals, with the lawyers for the anonymous player telling ESPN that they have spoken to other former players and expect others to join the suit.
The news of the lawsuit comes a day after eight other former Northwestern football players hired civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and the Chicago law firm of Levin & Perconti.
In a news release on Monday, the firm of Levin & Perconti said it expected more people to come forward.
“These former Northwestern football players are participating in this legal action because they want to support and validate the allegations of abuse made by the two players who spoke to the Daily Northwestern about the true nature of the so-called hazing. They believe that more stringent oversight and accountability are required in college athletics to prevent such abuses from happening to other players in the future,” said Steven M. Levin, founding partner of Levin & Perconti.
“The physical, emotional and sexual abuse not only violated Northwestern’s own policies, but also numerous laws, and worse, has led to irreparable harm, with some players even experiencing suicidal thoughts.”
Crump, Levin and former Northwestern student-athletes who were subjected to hazing, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse will hold a press conference in Chicago on Wednesday.
