Several years after the Department of Justice first intervened in Utah State University’s failure to respond to sexual misconduct, particularly in the "sexually hostile culture" of the football program, the federal department is finally pulling back some of its oversight on the university.
It began with a report by the Department of Justice that revealed the university received 240 reports of sexual harassment but processed less than 25. More than 15 of the reports specifically involved USU football players and two reports involved USU football program staff.
Related: Utah State University Interim AD Fired on Allegations of Mishandling Title IX Reporting Policies
In 2024, the USU athletics department went through a tidal wave of personnel change, firing interim athletic director Jerry Bovee and executive associate athletics director for internal affairs and senior woman administrator Amy Crosbie. The department also suspended — and then fired — head football coach Blake Anderson and football director of player development and community Austin Albrecht after allegations that these staffers mishandled sexual assault violations against a football student-athlete. No charges were ever filed in that case.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, USU has “made significant changes to how it responds to sexual misconduct.” This is a long time coming for the university that was supposed to have its DOJ oversight reduced in the 2022-23 school year, but saw it extended several times for failing to take “prompt, equitable and effective steps to remedy an ongoing hostile environment within its football program.”
The DOJ reported that “USU football players collectively jeered, snickered, laughed and repeatedly interrupted a presenter who was delivering a training to the team about sexual misconduct prevention.”
Related: Utah State: Football Coach Fired for Interviewing Potential Victim Following Player's Arrest
Due in part to the overhaul of the athletics department and football team staff, the DOJ now says USU has “satisfactorily addressed the issues.” USU also hired a Title IX coordinator, created new policies, enhanced training and improved reporting and tracking systems for assault cases.
