Investigators tasked with examining the hazing scandal that plagued the Northwestern University athletic department and particularly its football program last summer have concluded that the school should bolster its anti-hazing efforts.
As reported by The Associated Press, the 47-page report by the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP released Thursday by Northwestern recommended the university enhance its hazing-prevention training in the wake of the scandal that led to numerous lawsuits and the firing of head football coach Pat Fitzgerald.
The report stated “the results of our review have been largely positive,” but investigators found room for improvement when it came to preventing hazing during a nearly year-long review led by former U.S. attorney general Loretta Lynch.
“Some people expressed an interest in more interactive and scenario-based anti-hazing trainings, while others thought a greater emphasis on bystander intervention would be valuable,” the report said. “Accordingly, we recommend that the Athletics Department consider ways in which it can incorporate more bystander intervention, interactive, and scenario based trainings into its existing anti-hazing training program.”
Related: Northwestern Fires Pat Fitzgerald as Hazing Scandal Grows
According to the AP's Andrew Seligman, the report also said the school and athletic department are “aligned in their commitment to ensure that their student-athletes have excellent academic and athletic experiences, despite forces at play — many of which are not unique to Northwestern — that make equal pursuit of those two goals increasingly difficult. We hope that our recommendations, if implemented, will only enhance the Northwestern student-athlete experience.”
Northwestern hired Lynch in July 2023 to lead an investigation into the culture of its athletic department and its anti-hazing procedures. The school is implementing RealResponse — a platform that tracks issues raised by student-athletes — this summer, and has added more anti-hazing training requirements for athletes that includes an emphasis on bystander intervention. Other measures include QR codes in athletic facilities that link to resources and the creation of a new portal explaining avenues to report misconduct.
Lynch and her team interviewed more than 120 people, including current and former student-athletes, non-athlete students, coaches, athletic administrators and staff, faculty, university administrators and trustees. They reviewed documents and data including athletic department policies, Seligman reported.
The report also said the school and athletic department are “aligned in their commitment to ensure that their student-athletes have excellent academic and athletic experiences, despite forces at play — many of which are not unique to Northwestern — that make equal pursuit of those two goals increasingly difficult. We hope that our recommendations, if implemented, will only enhance the Northwestern student-athlete experience.”
“Our top priority is providing the best possible experience for our student-athletes, both academically and athletically,” athletic director Dr. Derrick Gragg, who will focus on NIL and other athletics-related initiatives once his replacement is hired, said in a statement. “We cannot do this without being open to continuous learning and improvement. The Department of Athletics and Recreation takes the findings of the review seriously and is eager to apply these lessons towards enhancing our programs and support systems.”
