University of Michigan settles sexual abuse lawsuit brought by students

The University of Michigan has reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by students who sought to force changes in how the school protects the campus from sexual misconduct.

As part of the deal, which was filed in federal court on Thursday, the Ann Arbor school will create and pay for a multidisciplinary standing committee designed to protect the university community from sexual abuse.

The Coordinated Community Response Team will be comprised of about 30 members, including Title IX and campus sexual misconduct experts, community members and select members of the administration and faculty.

"But I think most importantly, it has representation from students and survivors," said Nancy Cantalupo, an assistant professor of law at Wayne State University. "They will all have a seat at the table alongside the other experts that are on the CCRT.

"And that will give them a direct line into the administration — and the upper levels of the administration — in terms of communicating their concerns and their needs," Cantalupo said in a videoconferencing call with reporters announcing the settlement.

In addition, Mark Schlissel was removed earlier this year as university president after emails detailing an alleged inappropriate sexual relationship between him and a subordinate were discovered. And the university paid $9.25 million to eight women who reported emotional or sexual abuse by Martin Philbert, who over 25 years rose from professor to provost, Michigan's senior academic official. He was removed in 2020.

"We know there is broken trust at this school," said Graham, whose suit, filed in 2021, did not seek monetary relief.

The core of the settlement, which still requires the approval of U.S. District Court Judge Victoria