Replacement named for disgraced former Student Health Services director tied to Ohio

On Apr 16, 2021

The medical board claimed Grace made a false statement to a student who was sexually abused by Strauss a few days later, that same month, when he told the student that his complaint was the first Grace had received about Strauss.

The board wrote, based on statements Grace made in a deposition for the board, that while he verbally warned Strauss in 1995 concerning his conduct, he did not notify the oversight entity about Strauss’ conduct as he should have done. Ohio law mandates that any physician who suspects another of misconduct must report it to the State Medical Board of Ohio.

In January 1996, Grace suspended Strauss from providing clinical treatment to students at the university after becoming aware of a third student complaint of his sexual assault in a year. But the Ohio medical board alleges that Grace, once again, did not report Strauss.

Grace’s attorney, Shari Rhode, previously told The Southern last year that Grace provided information concerning Strauss to the Ohio medical board nearly 25 years ago — and said it was the board that failed to take any action. She said the board appears to be attempting to make Grace a scapegoat for its own failures.

Document 1 (5 pages): A 1996 memo from Ted Grace, former director of Student Health Services at The Ohio State University, to fellow OSU administrators describing misconduct by OSU physician Richard Strauss.

Document 2 (3 pages): Strauss’ rebuttals to complaints against him.

Document 3 (6 pages): Grace’s reply to Strauss’ rebuttal.

Document 4 (2 pages): Communication from former OSU General Counsel for Employment and Human Resources, Helen Ninos, analyzing complaints against Strauss and recommending he be removed from Student Health Services.

The documents were provided to The Southern by Stephen Snyder-Hill, who obtained them via Freedom of Information Act request.

Courtesy Stephen Snyder-Hill

As reported by the Associated Press, Strauss retired in 1998, but allegations about his misconduct didn’t become public until an ex-wrestler spoke out in 2018 — years after Strauss’ death. Ohio State apologized publicly after an investigation conducted for the school concluded Strauss’ misconduct occurred in his work with various athletic teams, the health center and an off-campus clinic.