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Message sent on behalf of OSU Board Chair Rani Borkar and Vice Chair Kirk Schueler

 

Members of the OSU Community,

 

Last Friday a report was issued by Husch Blackwell on behalf of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University that raised questions over Title IX and sexual violence and misconduct at LSU during the time that President Alexander led that institution. We understand that members of the Oregon State University community have many serious and important questions and concerns based on this report and what they have seen in the media and elsewhere.

 

Consistent with the fundamental values of the university, the OSU Board of Trustees will fully evaluate this report and its findings with President Alexander, and report back to the OSU community.

 

We assure members of the Oregon State University community and our stakeholders that OSU continues to prioritize supporting survivors and serving as a national model of Title IX prevention, response and investigation. These priorities are unequivocal and are held by the Board and all university leaders.

 

We also understand that there are questions about the Board of Trustees’ presidential selection process in 2019, and questions regarding what information was available to the Board at the time of President Alexander’s evaluation and selection. The search included significant candidate due diligence review to assist the Board of Trustees and the 15-member presidential search committee. This due diligence included criminal history checks; media and public record searches; and on- and off-list reference checks with faculty, administrators, trustees and others. Results from media checks and public information searches were shared with trustees and the search committee, and included candidate information from Nexus, local newspapers, Google and Google News, and other sources relevant to higher education, such as university websites, journals, fraud databases, and other sources.  

 

In evaluating President Alexander’s candidacy, there was nothing discovered in the media and public record material, interviews, or reference checks regarding inappropriate handling of sexual misconduct at LSU or decisions regarding former LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles. This is consistent with the recently released review that indicated LSU Athletics did not consistently report sexual violence and misconduct to the Title IX office as required by university policy, and so was not known at the time of OSU’s presidential search or prior to media reports in fall of 2020.

 

President Alexander’s communication this week to the OSU community acknowledged that he was ultimately accountable as LSU’s president. This accountability is consistent with OSU’s values.

 

While we take pride in OSU’s Title IX programs, we recognize the requirement for constant improvement, and the Board of Trustees holds itself, the university’s president and all members of the community to a shared responsibility for promoting and contributing to an environment free of sexual violence and harassment for all students, faculty and staff. This includes the responsibility to report sexual misconduct; for OSU’s Title IX Office of Equal Opportunity and Access to thoroughly and promptly respond to all reports; and for the entire OSU community to support and care for survivors.

 

Sincerely,

 

Rani Borkar

Chair

OSU Board of Trustees

 

Kirk Schueler

Vice Chair

OSU Board of Trustees

 

 

Send Date: 
Thursday, March 11, 2021