Florida State University has settled a lawsuit with Erica Kinsman, the former FSU student who alleged that she was raped by then-Seminoles quarterback and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller James Winston in 2012. As a result of the settlement, Kinsman will received $950,000, a sum which includes attorney's fees, and the university has agreed to make a "five-year commitment to awareness, prevention and training programs," according to Rachel Axon of USA Today.
"I will always be disappointed that I had to leave the school I dreamed of attending since I was little," Kinsman said in a statement, per Axon. "I am happy that FSU has committed to continue making changes in order to ensure a safer environment for all students."
FSU president John Thrasher admitted that the university's decision not to admit liability as part of the settlement was meant to avoid further litigation expenses.
"We have an obligation to our students, their parents and Florida taxpayers to deal with this case, as we do all litigation, in a financially responsible manner," Thrasher said in a statement. "With all the economic demands we face, at some point it doesn't make sense to continue even though we are convinced we would have prevailed."
As part of her lawsuit against the university, Kinsman alleged that the school was "deliberately indifferent" and that its response to her reported sexual assault was "clearly unreasonable." Kinsman also alleged that FSU officials attempted to conceal information regarding her assault.
FSU attempted to have Kinsman's lawsuit dismissed, but a judge ruled in August that it could go forward.
