LOS ANGELES _ The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday ordered the University of Southern California to make major changes in its operations and undergo three years of federal monitoring, finding the university failed to protect students from a campus gynecologist accused of abusing hundreds of patients.
Federal regulators are calling on USC to improve oversight to ensure patients are protected and that any allegations of misconduct and sexual discrimination are independently investigated. They also ordered the university to conduct a review of current and former employees to see whether they properly handled complaints related to Dr. George Tyndall.
"What we have found at USC is shocking and reprehensible," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kenneth L. Marcus. "No student should ever have to face the disgusting behavior that USC students had to deal with. I am pleased that President (Carol) Folt is now committing to major changes, and we will closely monitor the university to make sure that it complies with our agreement."
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos also criticized USC.
"This total and complete failure to protect students is heartbreaking and inexcusable," she said in a statement. "Too many at USC turned a blind eye to evidence that Dr. Tyndall was preying on students for years. We are grateful to every survivor who came forward to share their story with our OCR investigators. Because of your bravery, we can now work with the university to ensure this never happens to another student on USC's campus."
Tyndall has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he engaged in sexual misconduct against 16 former patients at the campus clinic dating back to 2009. Nearly 400 women have made allegations against Tyndall to police and prosecutors covering other parts of his 27-year career at the university.
