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Baylor Football: Is there a conclusion to the Title IX allegations?

By Shannon Sickmon

WACO, TX - SEPTEMBER 24: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys carries the ball against Verkedric Vaughns #27 of the Baylor Bears in the second half at McLane Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
WACO, TX - SEPTEMBER 24: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys carries the ball against Verkedric Vaughns #27 of the Baylor Bears in the second half at McLane Stadium on September 24, 2016 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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After several years of wrangling, Baylor football has settled the first of several lawsuits. Is there a conclusion to Title IX allegations?

There may finally be a conclusion to the Title IX chaos with Baylor football, and the university. The school has been in the midst of a slew of NCAA Title IX sexual assault cases from former students at the University.

The lawsuits alleged that the school failed to respond adequately to sexual assault charges leveled against several football players. In 2016, an independent law firm investigation concluded that the school’s implementation of Title IX was a “fundamental failure”, according to The Waco Tribune.

In the wake of the investigation, Baylor fired key personnel. The school has replaced the university president, athletic director, head football coach and several members of the coaching staff.

In essence, the lawsuits were stating that the school was “indifferent” to female students’ claims of sexual assault. The lawsuit, discussed in the below video, also claimed that the  University was a “hunting ground” for sexual predators.

They further claimed that the school fostered an institutional culture of elitism for athletes. The claims of indifference and that the school failed to adequately address the allegations are the heart of the case.

On Thursday, July 6, 2017, the Baylor settled the first of six Title IX lawsuits with an unnamed plaintiff. The settlement amount is undisclosed, but in a statement to the Waco Tribune, the school stated, “Baylor University is pleased that the parties were able to resolve this dispute in an amicable fashion. We are unable to comment further regarding this particular claim out of respect for the student’s privacy.”

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Even after this case is settled Baylor has five more Title IX lawsuits pending; in addition, Baylor already has settled with three other alleged sexual assault victims who did not file suits. The University is also facing a myriad of state criminal and federal civil rights investigations as well as an NCAA inquiry.

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