Dear Board of Trustees, 

Last week, a bombshell report revealed that during F. King Alexander’s time as president of LSU, he was aware of football coach Les Miles’ repeated attempts to have sex with students. Alexander was urged to fire Miles by the LSU athletic director. Instead, Alexander kept Miles on as coach and buried the reports made against him. The report also confirmed that during Alexander’s presidency, LSU ignored a series of rape accusations made against student athletes. And this week, testimony in the Louisiana state capitol alleged that Alexander “personally and unilaterally overturned the decision and finding of responsibility” in multiple sexual assault cases at LSU. 

This Monday, Alexander’s weak statement to the OSU community made clear that his primary concern is salvaging his own reputation. Instead of accepting responsibility for his role in the coverup of Miles’ misconduct, Alexander pushed the blame onto “individuals [who] did not follow directions, policies and requirements for misconduct reporting”. This is not taking accountability for the leadership failures at LSU, and it is not the attitude of someone who takes sexual misconduct and assault seriously.  

The Board of Trustees must commit to making OSU a place where sexual assault is not tolerated and survivors of sexual assault are listened to. President Alexander’s horrific track record on sexual assault is incompatible with this ideal. For the Board of Trustees, there should be only one path forward: dismiss President Alexander immediately and begin a transparent search for his replacement.

Ryan Little 

OSU Student