Columbus, OH — March 18, 2026 — A federal court has ordered that former Ohio State University President Gordon Gee sit for a deposition in ongoing litigation arising from allegations of sexual abuse by former university physician Dr. Richard Strauss.
In a recent order issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Court directed that Dr. Gee’s deposition “will take place within thirty days of the date of this Order,” marking a significant development in the discovery phase of the case.
Read the Order here
The lawsuits, brought by former students and athletes, allege that Ohio State failed to protect individuals from sexual misconduct and failed to respond appropriately to reports of abuse spanning years. Plaintiffs continue to pursue evidence concerning what university leadership knew, when they knew it, and how they responded.
The Court’s ruling comes as part of a broader set of discovery decisions addressing disputes between the parties. In addition to ordering Dr. Gee’s deposition, the Court also required Ohio State to provide certain information related to past Title IX settlements involving allegations of sexual harassment by university employees and to move forward with document production tied to the Perkins Coie investigation.
Depositions of high-level university officials are a critical component of these cases, as they may shed light on institutional knowledge, policies, and decision-making at the highest levels of leadership.
About Gordon Gee
E. Gordon Gee is a longtime university administrator who has served as president of multiple major universities, including The Ohio State University on two separate occasions. His tenure at Ohio State overlaps with the time period at issue in the Strauss litigation, making his testimony potentially relevant to questions about institutional knowledge and response.
The litigation remains ongoing, with additional discovery and depositions expected in the coming months.
May17, 2019: A Message from President Drake: Strauss Investigation Report
Sports Illustrated: Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal?
Sauder Schelkopf has been at the forefront of this litigation since 2018. It is alleged that the university officials had knowledge of Strauss’ misconduct dating back to 1979 and failed to take appropriate action. A 2019 independent investigation commissioned by OSU concluded that Strauss abused at least 177 male students between 1978 and 1998 and that complaints were never elevated beyond the athletic and student health departments. Sauder Schelkopf continues to represent a group of survivors seeking accountability and institutional reform.
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