Student protestors hold sit-in, block exits at LSU football ops building to protest university's response to Husch Blackwell report
Recently, LSU released the results of an internal investigation into the university’s handling of sexual misconduct cases. The Husch Blackwell report did not paint the university in a good light, as former coach Les Miles and others were named in the 150-page report.
While Miles has been placed on administrative leave at Kansas, where he is currently the head football coach, only a pair of punishments were handed down at LSU.
LSU executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry and senior associate athletic director Miriam Segar were both suspended without pay, with Ausberry’s suspension lasting 30 days and Segar’s 21 days.
On Monday, a group of student protestors surrounded LSU’s football ops building for several hours to protest what they feel was a lackluster response from the university to the damaging report.
Just spoke with Angel Upshaw, an LSU senior and co-founder of TASA.
They are calling for the firings of Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segal, who are suspended without pay.
“How can we expect students to be safe on campus when you’re enabling this type of behavior.” pic.twitter.com/MXEk8nuHFV
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
A look at some of the signs. pic.twitter.com/7V1htFyw09
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
The protestors want LSU to fire those who, according to the Husch Blackwell report, didn’t respond appropriately to claims of sexual misconduct made by female students:
“Get some nerve, fire Verge.” pic.twitter.com/rafWqdZqdl
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
At one point, LSU employees brought the protestors some water:
LSU employees have brought the protestors water bottles. pic.twitter.com/2FrTfSO9AH
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
At another point, LSU TE Aaron Moffitt and others came over to talk to the protestors. Moffitt said he needed to go feed his dog, and questioned why the protestors were surrounding the football ops building and not the administration building:
#LSU tight end Aaron Moffitt and a few other players have come over and debated the protest.
Moffitt says he has to leave to feed his dog, contending “y’all don’t know any better” because they should sit-in the admin building across the street. pic.twitter.com/OmKLm9TpRn
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
Director of player development Eddie Kennison also asked for the players to be able to leave to go to class:
Former #LSU football player Eddie Kennison, now director of player development, just came over and made a cordial appeal to let the football players drive to class.
The student protestors cordially declined, saying they can walk to campus across the street. pic.twitter.com/BpJLTiZJKK
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
Don’t count on the protest changing the university’s mind on punishments handed down. Per interim president Tom Galligan,
Interim President Tom Galligan just finished an hour-long Zoom meeting with student leaders about the protest. He and students both described it as emotional, a "very hard, painful conversation" about their viewpoints on LSU's discipline and the experiences they had today. https://t.co/aQ9RVWeRBh
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
Galligan said there's "no movement to change" the decisions LSU made Friday & added "I would say that reasonable people can certainly disagree."
He said future violations will have a "clear list of appropriate punishments"
"We are committed to changing and making a difference."
— Brooks Kubena (@BKubena) March 8, 2021
The Advocate’s Brooks Kubena was at the protest and has a full report on the proceedings here.
The students don’t realize that the promise of future employment for the suspended admins is necessary to keep them silent. They take the fall to protect others especially with the feds on the case.
They should be fired. Then let them blow whistles and get others fired. Clean house.
Wow a sensible subscriber to sds? You’re spot on, better to nip that in the bud than cover bs and tank LSU’s reputation
If they want the administration to really take them seriously they’ll withdraw from LSU and work to convince others to do the same and go elsewhere for school. Hit ’em in the pocketbook and they’ll take notice.
I don’t see how firing Ausberry and Segar is “not a very fair thing to do” when it becomes known that they broke the law in the process of not doing their jobs? What gives? Is it admitting guilt by LSU? SMH…
What law did they break?
really?
My comment is still awaiting moderation, killer. The gnomes are passed out on jaegermeister again.
ugh can’t stand the smell of the stuff too much at once when 18…
Dude look it up! kidding… Title IX reporting laws.
From a BR Advocate article by Andrea Gallo and Brooks Kubena from last Nov:
“Experts say he may have violated the federal civil rights law that protects students from discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes sexual violence. In addition, he may have whiffed on a requirement that he alert police, according to legal experts on sexual assault cases on college campuses.”
That will be my concern. There is violating and may have violated. Found the released report, will check it tonight.
The way I read everything, in not reporting sexual assault Title IX laws were broken. Not a lawyer so can’t claim to know exactly how it works, but seems pretty obvious. Those 2 – especially Ausberry, who had a relationship with Guice – should be fired. Wouldn’t be surprised if it still happens.
Maybe they’re protesting outside the football facility because there were close to a dozen assault accusations leveled against football players. Everyone is trying to play this off like it was long ago under Miles, but there are accusations in the Coach O era with no consequences.
There were also accusations during the Orgeron era where there were consequences. It really has little to do with the coach. These are Title IX issues that the administration is specifically tasked to deal with. They didn’t do it correctly with the majority of these issues.
Then you have Guice harassing a 70 year old woman and receiving no punishment. The woman requested they suspend him from some games and Coach O told her to kick rocks.
That’s not true. The story doesn’t identify the coach by name.
Bro, who do you think was the head coach at the time? You telling me the head coach isn’t informed when players get in trouble and sexual assault/harassment charges are brought against them?
The report doesn’t say it was the HC. Please don’t be the guy that hears a rumor and passes it on as fact. The report is very clear in that they do not know who this was actually reported to. It’s in the report for all to see.
Unfortunately there are several people here using this issue to grind their axe because their football team can’t always beat ours. Like you said before LSUMC they’re just as bad as the folks their criticizing.
So you think fans talking $hit on a message board is as bad as people covering up sexual harassment?
You’re a next level dumba$$.
Your Tiger PTSD is showing timmy
The students that had their complaints and concerns covered up are the ones that may have PTSD due to the actions of LSU.
I know you don’t actually care about any of that though as long as SexualassaultU can win a football game…
You’re a piece of $hit at best..
I get the angst from the players, but blocking the admin parking lot won’t generate any attention. Those admins will just avoid the building and work from home. The players and coaches have to show up.
Blocking the street ? Arrest them. Possibly a lesson in developing some maturity for these youngsters.
It’s a peaceful protest. It’s supposed to be part of what America’s about. I may not agree with protestors, but as long as they’re peaceful I’ll defend their right to protest.