Trustees discuss the university’s fiscal forecasts at a Board of Trustees Finance Committee meeting in Pomerene Hall on Aug. 30, 2018. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Photo Editor

The Ohio State Board of Trustees will meet this week with a few high-profile items on the agenda, including public statements from victims of Richard Strauss, an update on the Strauss investigation, an update on President Michael Drake’s mental health task force and the pricing of Ohio State football tickets.

Meetings start Wednesday morning with the Wexner Board of Trustees and will continue through Friday when the full Board convenes.

Full Board

After making a formal request last week, Brian Garrett, who said he was abused by Strauss at his private clinic in 1996, and others who have accused Strauss of sexual abuse will each be granted up to 20 minutes to speak before the Board.

Strauss has been accused of sexually abusing hundreds of former student-athletes and students during his time at Ohio State from 1978 to 1998 as well as at his own private clinic from 1996 to 1998. An investigation into allegations is being handled by the law firm Perkins-Coie.

“We are suffering, and so are many others, due to inaction by the University,” Garrett said in an email to the Board. “Some of us have suffered in silence for 22 years or more, thinking we were the only ones. As the Board knows, we are not alone. There are hundreds of us.”

Audit and Compliance Committee

Strauss will also be discussed at the Audit and Compliance Committee meeting where an update on the investigation will be given by Provost Bruce McPheron and Drake, according to Board documents released on Tuesday.

The documents did not elaborate on the content of the update.

Academic Affairs and Student Life Committee

The official report and recommendations from the mental health task force to Drake will be presented to the committee on Thursday. The Lantern covered the recommendations when they were made public in September, but this will be the first time they are presented to the Board.

The committee will also hear a presentation about Ohio State’s new esports initiative and related curriculum which was announced in October.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee will have a full slate and among the hot topics will likely be raising prices of Ohio State football tickets due to “marquee matchups” during the 2019 season.

The committee will also discuss a range of major projects with the Controlled Environment Food Production Research Complex sticking out in Board documents as the only project marked behind schedule and over budget.

A final item of note for the committee is discussing a proposal from the Undergraduate Student Government that Ohio State divest from companies in the fossil fuel industry.

Master Planning

According to Board documents, the committee will receive an update on construction for the Arts District and plans for 15th and High. The documents did not elaborate on the content of the update.