Rebuffed by LSU officials, Louisiana lawmakers look toward solutions
Kenny Jacoby
USA TODAY
BATON ROUGE Women state lawmakers who have been holding hearings into Louisiana State University’s years-long, systemic mishandling of sexual misconduct and violence complaints came to a sobering conclusion during their third such hearing Thursday.
LSU officials are done talking.
As a result, the legislators shifted their focus from accountability for officials who contributed to the scandal to at least 12 newly introduced bills that would address problems at the heart of it.
“We’re limited, but we feel the burden,” said Sen. Beth Mizell, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, the group that has been hosting the hearings. “We don t want to just slap you on the hand we want this done. And I think maybe the greatest help we can give you is by watchful oversight and engagement.”
With LSU leaders absent for Title IX hearing, students voice frustration at Capitol
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BATON ROUGE – There were plenty of questions at the Capitol on Thursday, and most of them went unanswered.
Members of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children hoped to talk to LSU leaders about Title IX policies. On Wednesday, the university’s legal counsel advised them not to though, since Associate Athletics Director Sharon Lewis filed a lawsuit against LSU and some of her bosses.
“It’s just not a risk we can take the day after a person announces a civil RICO suit in federal court against the university,” said Winston Decuir, the VP of legal affairs at LSU.
LSU associate athletic director sues for $50 million, saying school officials retaliated against her for reporting ex-football coach Les Miles s explicit sex acts with a student and racist remarks
In a $50 million federal racketeering lawsuit, an associate athletic director at LSU says she was retaliated against for reporting on ex-football coach Les Miles
Sharon Lewis lawsuit said she was denied pay raises and subjected to verbal abuse after going to officials with the allegations against Miles
Lewis claims Miles told her there were too many black girls in the department
She also said a female student accused Miles of trying to mount her in his office
LSU goes all but silent on Title IX failures; lawmakers look toward what s next wafb.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wafb.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
WRKF LSU General Counsel Winston DeCuir testifies before the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children. April 8, 2021.
Louisiana state lawmakers on Thursday continued their investigation into LSU’s handling of Title IX complaints and allegations of sexual misconduct within the athletic department. Noticeably absent were the high-profile university employees who had been called to testify.
The Senate Select Committee on Women and Children requested in-person testimony from 10 LSU officials, including members of the Board of Supervisors and athletic department employees, up to Athletic Director Scott Woodward and Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron.
All 10 refused, opting to provide written testimony in lieu of an in-person appearance. LSU General Counsel Winston DeCuir said he told the university employees, many of whom have been named as defendants in state and federal lawsuits, that it would be unwise to testify under oath while they are the subjects of pending litigation. De