USC announces settlement concerning Tyndall federal class action suit: Statements from Interim President Austin and Board Chair Caruso
The university has reached agreement in principle on a $215 million class action settlement to provide relief to those who have been impacted by this difficult experience, and help USC community move collectively toward reconciliation. Additional information is available here.
Contact: Eddie North-Hager at (213) 220-1806 or edwardnh@usc.edu
From Interim President Wanda Austin
Dear USC community,
As of October 19, 2018, the university has reached agreement in principle on a $215 million class action settlement that will compensate students who received women’s health services from Dr. George Tyndall at USC’s student health center.
Our Board of Trustees supports this settlement, which was reached in collaboration with plaintiffs’ counsel, and which will provide relief to those who have been impacted by this difficult experience. By doing so, we hope that we can help our community move collectively toward reconciliation. I regret that any student ever felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or mistreated in any way as a result of the actions of a university employee.
The settlement provides all class members (former patients who received women’s health services from Tyndall) compensation of $2,500. Patients who are willing to provide further details about their experience could be eligible for additional compensation up to $250,000. Following the expected court approval, all class members will be sent a notice of their options under the settlement in the coming months. In the meantime, I encourage impacted patients to visit this site for more information.
A fair and respectful resolution for as many former patients as possible has been a priority for the university and for me personally since I began serving in the role of interim president. Many sweeping changes  have been made and we continue to work every day to prevent all forms of misconduct on our campuses, to provide outstanding care to all students, and to ensure we have policies and procedures that prioritize respect for our students and our entire university community.
In reaching this settlement, I am grateful for the leadership of our Board of Trustees, and particularly for Rick Caruso, our board chair, for working diligently and leading us through this important time.
Today’s announcement is an important step forward, but it is only the beginning of our journey. We care deeply about our community, we are listening carefully, learning from these experiences and strengthening our university.
Dr. Wanda Austin
Interim President
From Chair of the USC Board of Trustees Rick J. Caruso
Dear USC Community,
When I became chair of the Board last May, I pledged that the university would treat anyone
impacted by this experience with dignity and respect including, and most importantly, instructing
our team to resolve this litigation as thoughtfully and fairly as possible. While we cannot change
the past, it is my sincere hope that this timely settlement provides some measure of relief and
closure to those impacted and their families.
My fellow trustees and I also pledged to ensure a cultural shift within the university that places
the safety of students and patients as our top priority. Beginning with the appointment of Dr.
Wanda Austin as our interim president, we have made sweeping changes including forming the
Office of Professionalism & Ethics, strengthening the health center’s leadership, and creating the
President’s Culture Commission.
I also want to share that we are completing the independent investigation into the USC student health center, and you will receive an update after it is concluded. The Board’s Special Committee on
Governance Reform is also proceeding with its work and is engaging our University community
in their efforts. Finally, the search for our next president is underway as planned. I will continue
to share our progress as it continues.
Through all of these efforts, the Board is hopeful that we will continue to rebuild trust within our
community. Your support is critical to our success. USC is one of the finest universities in the
world. We, along with President Austin, will continue to work to make it even stronger for our
students, patients, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Sincerely,
Rick J. Caruso
Chair
Board of Trustees