An investigation into allegations of hazing with the football program at Northwestern has resulted in some serious results for Pat Fitzgerald and how the football operation will continue per a university release.
The Northwestern head coach will be suspended for two weeks without pay starting immediately. July is typically the month that most football coaches try and get away and take some vacation time, so apparently the Wildcats will not miss their head coach during this time frame, but a two-week suspension should net out to more than 200-thousand dollars of missed compensation.
Additionally, the Wildcats will take the following measures:
- Practices at “Camp Kenosha”, the Northwestern preseason events that took place at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside will be discontinued permanently.
- The addition of a football locker room monitor that reports outside of the football coaching staff.
- An online reporting tool for the student athletes to report hazing or potential hazing anonymously will be created by the university.
- Student Athletes, staff and coaches will take mandatory anti-hazing training.
- The formation of a working group of campus leaders to create a report on policy development, communication, organizational culture, training and enforcement.
- The Athletic Department will better utilize the annual student athlete survey process to ensure coaches are aware of and act on student concerns and work with the Big Ten and NCAA to ensure all rules and processes are followed.
The investigation started after an anonymous complaint about a November 2022 incident.
More than 50 individuals were interviewed during the investigation. Specific findings were kept private as a result of confidentiality rules.
