The University of Tennessee settled a lawsuit over its reaction to alleged sexual assaults by student-athletes, agreeing to pay eight women a total of $2.48 million.
The figure includes the plaintiffs' lawyer fees.
In the settlement, the school did not acknowledge "guilt, negligence or unlawful acts."
The plaintiffs agreed to drop a pair of federal civil suits that accused the university of fostering a "hostile sexual environment" due to its lack of action regarding sexual assaults.
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The settlement money will be paid out half from the university's central administration and half from the athletic department.
The plaintiffs' attorney, David Randolph Smith, said in a statement, "We are satisfied that, while universities everywhere struggle with these issues, the University of Tennessee has made significant progress in the way they educate and respond to sexual assault cases. My clients and I are also convinced that the University's leadership is truly committed to continue its exemplary efforts to create a model as it relates to sexual misconduct"
Outgoing Tennessee chancellor Jimmy Cheek released a statement that said, "No university will be able to prevent every incident of students, faculty or staff making bad judgments. Like many institutions, we are not perfect, but our goal is to continue to be the best we can be at creating awareness, educating, and preventing discrimination and abuse in any form, and to continue to be equally prepared when it does happen and to deal with it promptly, sensitively, fairly and effectively.
"We've come a long way in recent years, and we are working every day to be even better. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of every member of our University community."
The case alleged sexual assaults from Feb. 15, 2013, to Feb. 14, 2016, most of them involving Tennessee football and men's basketball players.
In February, Tennessee football coach Butch Jones denied allegations that he labeled one of his players a traitor after the player assisted a woman, who said she was raped by two other players on the Volunteers football team.
