An investigation into hazing allegations within the Northwestern football program found the accusations to be credible, and as a result head coach Pat Fitzgerald will serve a 2-week, unpaid suspension.
The investigation began in December and was announced to the public in January. The school did not state whether the allegations came from a player, a coach, or a staff member, nor did it specify whether the complainant accused a player, a coach, or a staff member of misconduct.
Conducted by Maggie Hickey of the ArentFox Schiff law firm, the investigation found that the coaching staff was unaware of any alleged hazing, but also that "there had been opportunities for them to discover and report the hazing conduct."
As a result, Northwestern has announced the "permanent suspension" of "Camp Kenosha," the Wildcats' preseason training camp site in Kenosha, Wis.
Additionally, Fitzgerald has been suspended for two weeks without pay, effective today. (It should be noted that the 2-week suspension coincides with the deadest period of the college football calendar.)
Other actions taken as a result of the investigation include:
- The University will require monitoring of the football locker room by someone who doesn’t report to the football coaching staff.
- The University will create an online reporting tool specifically for student athletes to anonymously report incidents of potential hazing or hazing-related concerns.
- The University will provide and require annual mandatory anti-hazing training for all coaches, staff members and student-athletes, with an emphasis on reporting options, the duties to report, discipline for future violations and the fact that hazing is not acceptable regardless of consent.
- The University will form an internal working group comprising Northwestern leaders across various disciplines to create a report on policy development, organizational culture, communication, training and enforcement. The group will solicit input from external experts and will make their report open to the entire community.
- Northwestern Athletics will better utilize the annual student-athlete-survey process to ensure coaches are aware of and act on student concerns.
- Northwestern Athletics will work with the NCAA and Big Ten Conference to ensure all processes and rules are followed.
“I was very disappointed when I heard about the allegations of hazing on our football team,” Fitzgerald said. “Although I was not aware of the alleged incidents, I have spoken to University officials, and they informed me of a two-week suspension, effective immediately.
“Northwestern football prides itself on producing not just athletes, but fine young men with character befitting the program and our University,” he said. “We hold our student-athletes and our program to the highest standards; we will continue to work to exceed those standards moving forward.”
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.