PORTLAND, Ore. — Days before the school’s Board of Trustees and Faculty Senate are scheduled to meet on a course of action, the president of Oregon State University, F. King Alexander, sat down in front of his computer and logged onto a livestream.
For nearly 90 minutes Monday, he answered question after question about allegations that he didn’t do enough to protect survivors of sexual violence at his old job, as president of Louisiana State University.
A recording of that livestream was later posted on OSU's Faculty Senate website.
The questions were filtered through Faculty Senate President Selina Heppell.
“Today's forum will be used as a basis for discussion and debate about a course of action by the Senate on Thursday at a special session,” she said.
Minutes later, Alexander delivered brief opening remarks.
“I'll just start off by saying I'm very deeply empathetic for all those that have been impacted by sexual violence and misconduct,” he said.
Alexander served as president of Louisiana State from 2013 to 2020, before coming to Oregon State. In the last month, both LSU and Alexander's direction of it have come under a national microscope.
Reports by USA Today and, most recently, a Missouri law firm accused the school of not doing enough to stop or investigate instances of sexual violence and misconduct on campus, including at the hands of its former head football coach Les Miles.
For years Miles kept his job after multiple female students accused him of sending them inappropriate texts and trying to kiss them. Last week, Alexander released a statement saying he regretted not taking stronger, earlier action against Miles.
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Monday Alexander said the Les Miles controversy came to a head months before he arrived at LSU in the summer of 2013.
“The legal recommendation was that he not be terminated,” Heppell said to Alexander, in the livestream. "You could have overruled that recommendation. Why didn't you do it?"
“What we did is, Les was sanctioned,” Alexander replied. “The board made that decision on May 15. For me to overturn that decision, I'd have to go and also seek board approval on that decision. The board made that decision and the board is the ultimate vehicle, the ultimate accountability venue for any institution.”
Alexander was also asked about LSU's Title IX office, founded under his leadership. Reports allege it was underfunded and understaffed. Alexander agreed that was true but said the school did the best it could amid historic funding cuts from the state.
He also spoke to allegations that top LSU athletes, accused of sexual assault, were protected by the school.
“I did not know of any differential treatment to any of our athletes under the circumstances, and when we found out about any instances, any issues in athletics, we kicked it over to our Title IX office and fully investigated those issues,” Alexander said Monday.
Alexander was also asked if OSU was informed these Title IX investigations were underway during his job interview.
“I do believe we discussed it a number of times,” he answered.
The answer comes days before OSU's Board of Trustees is set to meet Wednesday to discuss a course of action. The Faculty Senate has scheduled a separate meeting for the day after that.
There is growing pressure from advocates, including Brenda Tracy, who famously accused multiple Oregon State football players of assaulting her in the 90s.
“I'll be very clear. I want president Alexander to be fired,” Tracy said in an interview with KGW Thursday. “I do not believe he is fit to run Oregon State or any other college. I believe he's responsible for a lot of what has happened at LSU.”
Tracy told KGW last week she believes, amid the headlines about their new president, students at OSU will hesitate to report instances of sexual violence, fearing they won't be believed.
It came up in Monday's livestream.
“How do you respond to that issue of trust?” Heppell asked.
“I've always believed everywhere I've been, trust is not something you dole out. It's something you earn,” Alexander said. “Judge me by the actions you see, and judge me by the policies we set.”
Tuesday afternoon, Steve Clark, vice president of OSU University Relations and Marketing, sent KGW a statement. It read, in part:
Oregon State University’s Board of Trustees and all OSU leaders take seriously the university’s responsibility and longstanding commitment and efforts to address sexual violence and compassionately support survivors of violence. Our hearts go out to all who have suffered and we pledge them our support.