Baylor coach Art Briles has been fired, Ken Starr is out as president and athletic director Ian McCaw has been sanctioned and placed on probation, the school announced Thursday morning.
The moves were in response to a scathing external review that found the football program and athletic department failed to respond to reports of sexual assault by football players.
The report, conducted by the Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton, also said the university failed failed to implement Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination based on sex in education programs, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.
?We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus,? Richard Willis, chairman of the Baylor Board of Regents, said in a written statement. ?This investigation revealed the university?s mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us. Our students and their families deserve more, and we have committed our full attention to improving our processes, establishing accountability and ensuring appropriate actions are taken to support former, current and future students.?
The findings of the report, released this morning, found university administrators ?directly discouraged? some victims from reporting or participating in student conduct processes and ?in one instance constituted retaliation? against a student reporting sexual assault.
Other findings:
▪ There were ?specific failings? in the football program and athletic department, including ?a failure to identify and respond to a pattern of sexual violence by a football player and to a report of dating violence.?
▪ ?Significant concerns about the tone and culture within Baylor?s football program as it relates to accountability for all forms of student athlete misconduct.?
According to a report, Briles informed players via text message Thursday morning and the school made it official with an announcement of his firing amid a sexual assault scandal involving multiple Baylor football players.
Earlier in the week it was reported that Baylor president Ken Starr had been fired and would possibly be reassigned within the Baylor law school.
Briles, who has transformed the Baylor football program from Big 12 laughingstock to national contender over his eight seasons, was 65-37 in eight seasons at Baylor and won consecutive Big 12 titles in 2013 and 2014.
Briles, the Baylor athletic department and administration has been criticized for months for failing to act through a series of reports of rape and assault made against five Baylor football players over the last seven years.
Players began reacting with messages on Twitter on Thursday morning, suggesting something seismic was happening.
The moves were in response to a scathing external review that found the football program and athletic department failed to respond to reports of sexual assault by football players.
The report, conducted by the Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton, also said the university failed failed to implement Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination based on sex in education programs, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.
?We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus,? Richard Willis, chairman of the Baylor Board of Regents, said in a written statement. ?This investigation revealed the university?s mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us. Our students and their families deserve more, and we have committed our full attention to improving our processes, establishing accountability and ensuring appropriate actions are taken to support former, current and future students.?
The findings of the report, released this morning, found university administrators ?directly discouraged? some victims from reporting or participating in student conduct processes and ?in one instance constituted retaliation? against a student reporting sexual assault.
Other findings:
▪ There were ?specific failings? in the football program and athletic department, including ?a failure to identify and respond to a pattern of sexual violence by a football player and to a report of dating violence.?
▪ ?Significant concerns about the tone and culture within Baylor?s football program as it relates to accountability for all forms of student athlete misconduct.?
According to a report, Briles informed players via text message Thursday morning and the school made it official with an announcement of his firing amid a sexual assault scandal involving multiple Baylor football players.
Earlier in the week it was reported that Baylor president Ken Starr had been fired and would possibly be reassigned within the Baylor law school.
Briles, who has transformed the Baylor football program from Big 12 laughingstock to national contender over his eight seasons, was 65-37 in eight seasons at Baylor and won consecutive Big 12 titles in 2013 and 2014.
Briles, the Baylor athletic department and administration has been criticized for months for failing to act through a series of reports of rape and assault made against five Baylor football players over the last seven years.
Players began reacting with messages on Twitter on Thursday morning, suggesting something seismic was happening.
