USC Interim President Dr. Wanda Austin announced Friday that the university has agreed in principle to a $215 million class action settlement that will compensate students who received women’s health services from Dr. George Tyndall, the former campus gynecologist accused by scores of women of sex abuse.
“Our Board of Trustees supports this settlement, which was reached in collaboration with plaintiffs’ counsel, and which will provide relief to those who have been impacted by this difficult experience,” Austin said in a prepared statement. “By doing so, we hope that we can help our community move collectively toward reconciliation. I regret that any student ever felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or mistreated in any way as a result of the actions of a university employee.”
The settlement provides all class members — former patients who received women’s health services from Tyndall — compensation of $2,500. Patients who are willing to provide further details about their experience could be eligible for additional compensation up to $250,000.
“Following the expected court approval, all class members will be sent a notice of their options under the settlement in the coming months,” Austin said.
A fair and respectful resolution for as many former patients as possible has been a priority for the university and for me personally since I began serving in the role of Interim President. Many sweeping changes have been made and we continue to work every day to prevent all forms of misconduct on our campuses, to provide outstanding care to all students,” she said.
“Friday’s announcement is an important step forward, but it is only the beginning of our journey. We care deeply about our community, we are listening carefully, learning from these experiences and strengthening our university.”
Attorneys representing women who say they were sexually abused by Tyndall announced Thursday that they have filed dozens of lawsuits accusing the university of ignoring complaints about the now-former campus doctor for years.
The attorneys, joined by more than a dozen alleged victims of Tyndall, also called on the state Attorney General’s Office to conduct an investigation into the university’s handling of complaints about the doctor’s conduct. The lawsuits claim the university had received complaints as far back as 1988, but Tyndall continued practicing at the student health center until 2016.
“We call on Attorney General Xavier Becerra to commence a serious investigation of USC — not George Tyndall, because the (Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office) is handling that — but USC,” attorney John Manly said at a downtown Los Angeles news conference.
“The University of Southern California, my alma mater, is the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars of state of California aid, and it is clear they miserably failed these women,” he said.
Manley and attorney Andy Rubenstein said they filed 93 additional lawsuits this week against the university alleging wrongdoing in the handling of the cases.
USC officials issued a statement in response to the latest legal actions, saying, “We are aware of the lawsuits. We will be seeking a prompt and fair resolution that is respectful of our former students. We are committed to providing the women of USC with the best, most thorough and respectful health care services of any university.”
Tyndall and USC have been sued by alleged victims, many of whom claim they were inappropriately fondled or photographed by Tyndall under the guise of gynecological exams. Many have also accused him of making sexually charged comments during the exams.
Alleged victims have contended that the university received numerous complaints of Tyndall’s alleged sexually abusive behavior, dating back to at least 1988, and actively and deliberately concealed Tyndall’s actions. Attorneys for some victims have argued that following an internal investigation of complaints against Tyndall in 2016, the university paid Tyndall a substantial financial settlement so he would quietly resign.
USC officials have denied any coverup, and Tyndall has denied any wrongdoing.