A senior federal judge will oversee the upcoming mediation involving two lawsuits filed against Ohio State by men claiming to have been sexually abused while attending the school. The lawsuit alleges the school ignored claims of sexual abuse and failed to take action to stop it from occurring. The abuse is a now-dead athletic team doctor.

The lawyers for the school and the men were given an opportunity to choose their own mediator, but they were unable to agree, so the parties were referred to US District Judge Michael R. Barrett by the judge overseeing the cases.

Following the appointment of the mediator, lawyers for the alleged victims stated they are looking forward to working through mediation and believe the judge to be a “strong and credible mediator.” The judge who appointed Barrett called him “exceptionally well-suited to resolve these cases.”

According to the allegations, team doctor Richard Strauss, who committed suicide in 2005, had abused students from 1979 to 1997. Athletes from at least 16 sports, as well as students who visited the school’s student health center, are included in the allegations. This includes more than 150 students who have come forward to give first-hand accounts of their alleged abuse. Many of them claim they were “unnecessarily groped” during physical examinations given by Strauss.

Officials from Ohio State claim they are committed to uncovering the truth about the abuse. Employment records for Strauss that were recently made public reveal no major concerns, but alumni claim they were issuing complaints as far back as the 1970s. The school produced only one documented complaint on record from 1995.