U-M investigating sexual abuse allegations against former Athletic Department doctor

The University of Michigan is investigating allegations of sexual abuse against one of its former university doctors, Robert E. Anderson, who passed away in 2008. Anderson was a former director of the University Health Service and was a team doctor for several Michigan football teams led by Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr. The Detroit News was the first to report this on Wednesday morning.

The allegations against Anderson include sexual abuse and unwanted or unnecessary exams conducted by Anderson in the early 1970s. U-M officials announced on Wednesday that most of the reports they had received came from cases in the 1970s, but there was at least one that came in from as late as the 1990s.

“The allegations that were reported are disturbing and very serious,” U-M President Mark Schlissel said in a released statement. “We promptly began a police investigation and cooperated fully with the prosecutor’s office.”

Robert Julian Stone, an alum of the school, reached out to Michigan last August and sent them an essay titled, “My Michigan Me-too Moment, 1971.”

“Stone said he learned from UM officials that the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office was reviewing his case, along with ‘many other victims’ who have come forward with similar claims,” The Detroit News writes. “He also said a UM police detective told him the university became aware years ago that there were allegations against Anderson, then moved him from his post at UM Student Health Services to become the team physician for UM athletes.”

For more details on the allegations from Stone and the investigation, head over to the Detroit News story. Michigan has also opened a hotline for former patients of Anderson to report any potential allegations, which can be reached at 866-990-0111.

(Editor’s note: Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, the comments section will remain closed on this story.)