While serial sexual abuser Larry Nassar was victimizing young athletes, his boss at Michigan State University groped, harassed, and demeaned female students—while collecting a trove of nude photographs of several of the women, according to an affidavit filed this week.
William Strampel, the former dean of the school’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, was arrested Monday night on four charges, including felony criminal sexual conduct and willful neglect of duty by a public official.
The 70-year-old allegedly had more than 50 photographs of “bare vaginas, nude and semi-nude women, sex toys, and pornography” on his work computer. Some of them included nude selfies taken by female medical students, whom he also sexually propositioned, the Associated Press reported. The allegations came out during an investigation into the school’s handling of Nassar’s crimes.
ADVERTISEMENT
Strampel, who supervised the clinic that employed Nassar, also allegedly groped a woman and solicited nude photos from at least one student, according to the affidavit obtained and first reported by the Detroit Free Press. It alleges Strampel used his office to “harass, discriminate, demean, sexually proposition, and sexually assault female students in violation of his statutory duty as a public officer.”
The affidavit also claims that Strampel—who took a leave of absence for medical reasons in December—failed to enforce protocols set for Nassar after a female patient initially complained of inappropriate sexual contact, allowing the former USA Gymnastics doctor to “commit a host of sexual assaults against new victims until, following news reports of additional allegations against Nassar, MSU finally terminated his employment over two years later.”
Nassar was sentenced in January to a maximum of 275 years in prison for sexually assaulting young girls over his decades-long career. In the wake of his conviction, more than 300 girls came forward to courts and the press to accuse the former physician. More than 150 plaintiffs are suing Nassar in civil court.
“Strampel did not actually enforce or monitor the protocols, nor did he alert other employees in the sports medicine clinic about the existence of the protocols, let alone order that they be followed with respect to Nassar,” the affidavit said.
Interim MSU President John Engler in February said the school planned to strip Strampel of his tenure and terminate him for his failure to prevent Nassar’s crimes after the initial complaints and ensuing investigation.
“William Strampel did not act with the level of professionalism we expect from individuals who hold senior leadership positions, particularly in a position that involves student and patient safety,” Engler said.
