President Scott Coltrane has announced that the university is dropping the counterclaims against a student in an ongoing lawsuit against the university.  The UO filed an amended response to the lawsuit to make clear that the university never intended to seek legal fees or damages from the student.

Coltrane said it is in the best interest of the university community to drop the counterclaims.

“This situation goes well beyond legal issues—it’s about who we are as a campus and a society and how we treat one another. By dropping the counterclaims, my hope is that we can leave the legal matters to the court so we can dedicate our attention to the important work of preventing and responding to sexual violence,” Coltane said.

Coltrane and other university leadership are holding a campus forum on addressing sexual violence on Monday, March 2 in the Ford Alumni Center Ballroom. The “Campus Conversation and Progress Report to Address Sexual Violence” will provide information and seek input about recommendations to improve prevention efforts and survivor support services.