Bear Down Wildcats

gumby wrote:Artis, Dotson, Austin suspended for at least four years. So if they all come back together ....

http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.s ... r_ore.html

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The University of Oregon has agreed to pay $800,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a student who claimed she was sexually assaulted last year by three basketball players.

The 18-year-old woman, who is identified in the suit as Jane Doe, on Tuesday dismissed all claims against the university. Last week, she also dismissed all claims against head basketball coach Dana Altman.

According to the settlement agreement with the university, the school will also waive her tuition, housing and student fees for four years.

The suit -- which alleged the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy -- was filed in January in federal court in Eugene.

"The underlying incident that gave rise to the litigation is an affront to each and every one of us," UO president Michael H. Schill said in a letter to the campus community. "In approving this settlement, it is my hope that we focus our attention and considerable expertise on making our campus one on which all students will feel secure in the knowledge that they will be free from sexual violence."

Schill said the settlement isn't an admission of liability; he said he doesn't believe coaches, administrators or staff acted wrongfully.

In addition to the financial agreement, the school will pursue a policy change requiring all transfer applicants to report any disciplinary history at prior schools.

In the lawsuit, the woman said Altman knew when he recruited one of the players, Brandon Austin, that he had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct. The coach denied he knew it.

Austin and the two other players told authorities they had consensual sex with the woman, and prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to file charges. The players were not charged with a crime.

But the case caused outrage on campus and beyond, and the three players were kicked off their team and suspended from the university.

The case also pushed the school to pursue steps to combat sexual violence on campus. The university is in the process of hiring a new campus coordinator and other staff to combat and respond to sexual harassment and sexual violence. The school has also executed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Eugene about how Eugene police and the university will share information to ensure timely reporting and investigation of sexual assault offenses.

Regarding the claims against the coach, the school said "we are pleased that the claims against Dana Altman have been dismissed."

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... llegations

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Former Oregon player Brandon Austin has filed a $7.5 million lawsuit against the school and four administrators alleging they damaged his prospects of playing in the NBA.

Austin was among three Oregon players who were kicked off the team and barred from campus after a woman accused them of rape last year.

In the lawsuit filed Thursday in Lane County Circuit Court, lawyers for Austin say he was wrongly accused and was denied a chance to adequately defend himself in university disciplinary proceedings.

Lane County prosecutors declined to charge the players after the March 2014 incident, saying there was insufficient evidence. The players say the sexual encounter at an off-campus party was consensual.

Austin seeks $7.5 million for alleged civil rights violations, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with economic relations and breach of contract. The lawsuit names the university along with former president Michael Gottfredson; Sandy Weintraub, director of student conduct and community standards; Chicora Martin, the former assistant dean of students; and Robin Holmes, vice president for student life.

"Prior to defendants' actions, Mr. Austin was regarded as one of the top amateur basketball players in the United States of America ... and widely projected to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, which would more likely than not be accompanied by a multi-million dollar contract and tens of millions of dollars in prospective economic advantage," wrote Austin's lawyers, Alan Milstein of Moorestown, New Jersey, and Marianne Dugan of Eugene.

Austin no longer plays at a Division I school, has diminished chances of playing in the NBA and has to suffer the disgrace of being accused of sexual assault, the lawyers wrote.

"It is unfortunate the Mr. Austin has decided to pursue this type of lawsuit, and we intend to vigorously defend the university," university spokesman Tobin Klinger said. "We're confident Mr. Austin was afforded fair and consistent due process that fully complied with the university's legal obligations."

In August, the university settled a lawsuit with the alleged victim for $800,000, along with her tuition, housing and fees for four years.