LSU to Investigate Title IX Policies After Sexual Misconduct Allegations

LSU will review its Title IX process after allegations that school officials failed to follow its policies regarding sexual misconduct.

Interim president Tom Galligan released a statement saying LSU hired a law firm to do a "comprehensive review" of its Title IX policies and procedures:

School spokesman Jim Sabourin clarified that the review will not only look at the policies but also the process from when allegations are received to an investigation, according to Kenny Jacoby, Nancy Armour and Jessica Luther of USA Today.

"If there are patterns evident in why certain allegations don't make it to the Title IX process, then we need to know why," Sabourin said.

The review comes in response to a report from USA Today released Monday, which revealed at least nine players on the LSU football team have been accused of sexual misconduct or domestic assault and reported to the police since Ed Orgeron became the head coach in 2016.

Only two of those players have received formal discipline from the team.

Star running back Derrius Guice—who was a second-round draft pick by Washington in 2018, later released in August 2020 after being arrested and charged with assaulting a former girlfriend—was accused of rape by two women and accused of taking and sharing a lewd photograph without another woman's permission, but school officials did not properly investigate.

In March 2019, Drake Davis pleaded guilty to battery on a dating partner and violation of a protective order after he admitted to punching his girlfriend, who was an LSU tennis player, in the stomach. He remained with the team for another four months until he was expelled.

Orgeron said the school has followed proper procedure in dealing with these allegations.

"We need to support and protect victims of violence and sexual abuse of any kind," he said Monday. "I have in the past and will continue to take appropriate actions and comply with reporting protocols."