Student protestors hold sit-in, block exits at LSU football ops building to protest university’s response to Husch Blackwell report
By Adam Spencer
Published:
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.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
