A group of about 100 people gathered on the University of Michigan campus to demand accountability and transparency in the case of sexual deviant and predator Dr. Robert Anderson ahead of a meeting of the university’s Board of Regents. The demonstration followed the university’s announcement of a finalized policy for responding to sexual abuse allegations. (Thirty years too late.)
“This man was a monster,” said Chuck Christian, one of the men who has accused Anderson of sexual assault. “Enough is enough is enough is enough and Hail to the victims!”
Jonathan Vaughn, another accuser, said they were not there for an apology.
“If we are going to be the leaders and best, if we are truly are going to be victors, we need to eradicate this cancer that is pervasive in the University of Michigan,” said Vaughn. “The only way we can do it is to speak the truth.”
The men and women demanded to speak during the board meeting.
Mediation between the university and about 850 people, mostly men, has been underway since October.
The Detroit News, 9-23-21
Investigators, including those sanctioned by U of M, found that the university missed multiple opportunities to stop Dr. Anderson, who was director of the university health services and team physician for the athletic department over more than three decades. In a story that is getting as tiring as it is enraging, this man was allowed to retire without incident in 2003 and was given the “what a great person” send-off funeral in 2008.
Anderson is accused of giving prolonged hernia checks, unnecessary prostate exams and engaging in masturbation during exams, among other things. But hey, the university apologized and offered counseling to the accusers who include former football players, other university athletes, patients from his medical practice and pilots who saw Anderson for physicals. Sorry we had a creep on staff and blew off those who tried to speak out about him!
The only thing that changes this kind of sick culture, where a doctor can get away with this, accusers are not believed, and the criminal actions never addressed, is a massively huge monetary settlement. The kind that makes the Board of Regents and the university president have to go begging to their big donors/benefactors to refill their coffers. That’s the only way to make them transparent and accountable. Keep a guy like this on staff and it’s gonna cost you. You can address these issues as they happen, or you can pay a lot more later. With interest.
It doesn’t take a U of M business school grad to do the math here.