Report: LSU Took No Action When AD Officials Violated Title IX Policies in 2018

LSU has reportedly failed to take significant action after a 2018 internal investigation showed top athletic department administrators didn't follow proper Title IX protocols when presented with allegations of misconduct against student-athletes.

Kenny Jacoby, Nancy Armour and Jessica Luther of USA Today reported Tuesday that Tom Galligan, the school's interim president, couldn't identify any tangible changes to Title IX adherence.

"We remind people that everybody who is a responsible party has an obligation to report," Galligan said. "We've probably done the same things for the last few years but tried to do them—tried to emphasize. Certainly we're emphasizing them now."

The LSU report found deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry and football recruiting director Sharon Lewis in violation of the school's policy. Both were said to have directed allegations to Miriam Segar, another senior member of the athletic department, rather than to the Title IX office, per USA Today.

In one instance, a female student accused former Tigers wide receiver Drake Davis of abuse in a conversation with Ausberry. He told her he "didn't want to hear anymore" and directed her to Segar, who confirmed she never returned the woman's call, according to USA Today.

Lewis was made aware of the allegation against Davis in 2016 but didn't take action. Her lawyer told USA Today she wasn't disciplined by the school despite the failure to report.

Like Galligan, LSU spokesman Jim Sabourin said the university has doubled down on making members of the athletic department aware of the rules but provided no direct evidence of Title IX compliance.

"We now continue to reinforce that every LSU employee, with extremely limited exceptions for those in designated, confidential roles, is required to report knowledge of a sexual or domestic assault to the Title IX office," Sabourin told USA Today.

Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron, the school's most well-known employee, provided a statement to the outlet affirming the same stance.

"When we become aware of accusations, we have an obligation to immediately report every allegation to the University's Title IX office so that appropriate due process can be implemented," he said.

The lack of clearly defined progress comes after a USA Today report in November found the school "ignored complaints against abusers, denied victims' requests for protections and subjected them to further harm by known perpetrators" in recent years.