COLUMBUS, Ohio _ Over the course of two decades, Dr. Richard Strauss sexually abused 177 male students at Ohio State University, and although administrators knew about the misconduct, it was not reported to law enforcement, according to a 232-page investigative report released Friday.
"Investigators concluded that university personnel at the time had knowledge of complaints and concerns about Strauss' conduct as early as 1979 but failed to investigate or act meaningfully," the university said on Friday.
The report, from law firm Perkins Coie, details graphic sexual abuse perpetrated by Strauss between 1979 and 1998, when the university granted him emeritus status. He fondled students, made them strip under the guise of medical assessments and asked probing questions about their sex lives _abuse that escalated over time, the report said.
Strauss was a faculty member, athletics doctor and student health center physician. He served as the wrestling team doctor when Congressman Jim Jordan worked as an assistant coach. Jordan has denied accusations that he knew about the abuse but failed to report it.
In a systemwide email sent Friday, Ohio State University President Michael Drake said: "On behalf of the university, we offer our profound regret and sincere apologies to each person who endured Strauss' abuse. Our institution's fundamental failure at the time to prevent this abuse was unacceptable _ as were the inadequate efforts to thoroughly investigate complaints raised by students and staff members."
