Northwestern will institute mandatory anti-hazing seminars for the school’s sports teams, athletic director Derrick Gragg told ESPN.
“This entire situation, it’s distressing,” Gragg said in an interview with ESPN. “My heart goes out to everyone who’s involved — victims, of course — but I also want to stress that we have many student-athletes who do the right thing and have always done the right thing, and coaches and staff as well. As the situation evolves, we’re very serious about eradicating anything that’s wrong, the president and the university.
“Not only eradicating it, but also trying to ensure, to the highest levels, that nothing like this ever happens again.”
Northwestern is facing four lawsuits from former players alleging a culture of hazing and sexual abuse.
Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing former Wildcats player Lloyd Yates, says he plans to file more than 30 lawsuits on behalf of former players from other Northwestern teams, including one person who was a mascot.
The university fired football coach Pat Fitzgerald after the hazing allegations emerged. The school then fired baseball coach Jim Foster after an investigation that found he violated university policy for engaging in abusive behavior.
Gragg also told ESPN that NU is making sure that its system to anonymously report hazing is working properly.
