USC to receive $260-million gift, one of largest in higher education, underscoring its fundraising strength

LA TIMES

USC announced Wednesday that it would receive $260 million for teaching and research, a gift that is among the largest single donations in American higher education and underscores the university’s standing as a fundraising juggernaut.

It comes as USC has had to assure major donors that it is on the right track after a series of scandals in the last few years tarnished its reputation.

USC is also facing about 700 civil lawsuits and has already brokered a $215-million federal class-action settlement to compensate former patients of George Tyndall a campus gynecologist who has pleaded not guilty to criminal sexual assault charges after being accused of sexual misconduct toward many USC students. read more »

Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate May Set Up a Program to Pay Accusers

NEW YORK TIMES

A proposal for a “claims resolution program” was referred to in a court filing by a lawyer for a woman who accused the financier of sexual abuse. Not all the plaintiffs’ lawyers are on board. read more »

Diocese of Rockville Centre Challenges Child Victims Act in Court

LONG ISLAND PRESS

Attorneys for the Diocese of Rockville Centre filed a court motion Tuesday that challenges the legality of the New York State Child Victims Act that recently sparked hundreds of lawsuits alleging decades-old abuse.

The diocese is one of several within the Catholic Church named as defendants in cases under the new law, but the defense is arguing that the one-year window that victims have to file suit is illegal and all cases should be thrown out. read more »

Weinstein Trial Expected to Take Up to Two Months

VARIETY

Jurors in the upcoming trial of Harvey Weinstein will be told that the case will last up to two months, according to a recent court filing.

Weinstein is set to go on trial on Jan. 6 in New York Supreme Court in Manhattan. According to a court filing, the jury pool will be told to expect the trial to last until the first week of March.

Weinstein faces five charges of rape and sexual assault arising from two incidents in 2006 and 2013. In addition to the two alleged victims, the jury is expected to hear from four other Weinstein accusers, including actress Annabella Sciorra. If convicted, the former producer could face life in prison. read more »

New molestation suit accuses Jesuit of using parent, alumni donations to pay abuse settlements

NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE

A former Jesuit High School student who says he was raped by a predator janitor on the school’s campus in the 1970s alleges in a new lawsuit that Jesuit officials have used millions of dollars in parent and alumni money to cover abuse-related settlements. read more »