Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch (screengrab via YouTube).
Former U.S. Attorney General under President Barack Obama (D) Loretta Lynch has been retained by Northwestern University to spearhead an investigation of its athletic department following allegations of hazing and other misconduct.
Northwestern made the announcement Tuesday that Lynch, now a partner with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, will review “the processes and accountability mechanisms in place at the University to detect, report and respond to potential misconduct in its athletics programs, including hazing, bullying and discrimination of any kind.”
The school says Lynch will look into the culture of the athletic department and interview faculty, staff, students, and alumni as she makes a report to Northwestern’s president and Board of Trustees that will ultimately be made public. Lynch’s investigation will begin immediately and will include monitoring of the football locker room, anti-hazing training for all sports teams and athletic staff, and enhancement of the University’s existing reporting procedures for complaints of hazing, bullying, and misconduct.
According to details of the alleged hazing published in The Daily Northwestern, one player called their experience “shocking” and said the athletic environment was “really abrasive and barbaric.” The player said that under the guise of team bonding, players were subjected to sexual abuse, and that coaching staff would give signals to players to single out certain players for targeting.
Northwestern is already defending multiple lawsuits relating to the allegations and more are expected.
Following the players coming forward, Northwestern fired head football coach Pat Fitzgerald on July 11. At the time, Northwestern President Michael Schill said Fitzgerald was “ultimately responsible for the culture of his team,” and noted that the hazing that had already been investigated was “widespread and clearly not a secret within the program.”
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Two days later, the university fired Baseball coach Jim Foster amid more allegations of bullying and abuse.
“Hazing has absolutely no place at Northwestern. Period,” said Schill in a July 7 statement. “I am determined that with the help of Attorney General Lynch, we will become a leader in combating the practice of hazing in intercollegiate athletics and a model for other universities. We will provide all of our students with the resources and support they need and do whatever is necessary to protect their safety and ensure that our athletics program remains one we can all be proud of.”
Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Derrick Gragg added, “The Athletics Department welcomes this review as a critical tool in identifying the additional steps Northwestern can take to eradicate hazing. By making the results of her review public, we hope our entire community will be better informed and guided as we all work to address this critical issue in college athletics.”
“Northwestern’s Board of Trustees fully supports President Schill’s decision to conduct this critical review and to engage Ms. Lynch to lead it. The board will cooperate fully with Ms. Lynch and her team and facilitate her work as needed,” said Peter Barris, Chairman of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees.
Athletic director Derrick Gragg said his department welcomes the investigation, calling it “a critical tool in identifying the additional steps Northwestern can take to eradicate hazing.”
Lynch, the first Black woman to serve as attorney general, currently represents the NFL in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
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