CORVALLIS, Ore. — After less than a year in the position and weeks under the microscope of a national scandal, Oregon State University (OSU) President F. King Alexander will keep his job. He’ll also be on professional probation through June 1.
Concluding a nearly seven-hour meeting Wednesday, OSU’s Board of Trustees passed a resolution establishing the probationary period. During that time, they’ll require Alexander build a “concrete plan” to build trust and relationships with students and staff in the university. He’s required to present it to the board by that June 1 deadline.
Wednesday’s public hearing, which broke for a private executive session midway through, followed weeks of national coverage about a scandal at Alexander’s last job as president of Louisiana State University (LSU), where he worked from 2013 to 2020.
Earlier this month, a Missouri law firm released the findings of its years-long investigation into LSU, which concluded the school, under Alexander’s leadership, had an underfunded, understaffed Title IX office. It also alleged top athletes accused of assault were protected by the school, and it alleged its then head football coach Les Miles kept his job for years after multiple female students accused him of sexual misconduct.
Since that report came out, Miles was fired from his most recent position at the University of Kansas.
In recent weeks, as pressure mounted for OSU to do the same, Alexander released a public statement saying he regretted not taking stronger action against Miles.
In a nearly 90-minute livestream Monday, during which he answered questions from OSU staff, Alexander said he never knew of any instances of athletes getting preferential treatment by the LSU. He also said the school’s Title IX office was indeed underfunded, but added the school did the best it could amid historic funding cuts from the state.
“I'm very deeply empathetic for all those that have been impacted by sexual violence and misconduct,” he said in Monday’s livestream.
On Wednesday, 19 students and staff signed up to testify in the public hearing. A university spokesman said more than 100 submitted written testimony.
“Survivors are here at this university to learn, not to educate you or people who abuse us, or the bodies like you that uphold the systems that protect those abusers,” said student Tali Ilkovitch. “We demand you finally take action as if it is your own daughters going to this university.”
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Board members during the public hearing asked Alexander why they weren’t informed of the Husch Blackwell Report during Alexander’s interview process, noting they learned about it when the findings were released in early March.
Alexander told them no one asked if any investigations into Title IX or sexual misconduct at LSU were underway, adding there are typically dozens of investigations ongoing at most large schools. He told board members he didn’t think the investigation, or its findings, would be serious enough to warrant bringing it to their attention.
It’s worth noting, media reports about the Les Miles controversy had been circulating for years.
The resolution, which overwhelmingly passed with two board members voting against, places requirements on OSU, too. The board is directing their executive and audit committee to engage an independent outside consultant to review recommendations from the LSU report and help OSU come up with strategies to bolster programs aimed at combatting sexual assault, as well as others related to Title IX. The board will also conduct an evaluation to gather feedback and help Alexander inform his success at OSU. Those plans are also expected to be completed by June 1.
The board's decision was met with criticism from university faculty. The Faculty Senate of Oregon State University said it has no confidence in the Board of Trustees' ability to lead the university and called on members to resign.
Gov. Brown said if an independent investigation finds Alexander didn't responsibly respond to the claims at LSU, the board should remove him from office.
"The Oregon State University Board has established an independent investigatory and disciplinary process for President Alexander to review the facts and assess the next steps for action," Brown said. "The Board has made its decision in light of already troubling findings. I support the Board’s independent review process, but if it confirms that President Alexander did not uphold his ethical and legal responsibilities to protect the safety of the students at LSU, I expect the board to take decisive action to remove him."
In a video message following the board's decision, Alexander said there was more he could have done at LSU.
"As university president, I should have sought every opportunity to hold others accountable," he said.
Alexander vowed to work to rebuild the trust of the Oregon State University community. He also said the university would launch a review of support programs for survivors, and evaluate the staffing, funding and resources for those programs.