COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Court of Claims today issued a decision in favor of The Ohio State University in a $21 million wrongful death lawsuit brought by the father of a deceased student. The court ruled that Ohio State was not responsible for the death of Shawn Wight, who died in 1997 nearly two months after Ohio State evacuated him from a mountain in Tibet where he was part of a field research expedition. The following statement is from Bradley Moore, Ohio State’s vice president for research:

“We are gratified that the court found Ohio State followed evacuation procedures appropriately and therefore was not responsible for Shawn Wight’s death. At the same time, all of us, particularly the researchers and students who knew Shawn, were deeply saddened by his death.

“Field research is an integral part of the student academic experience at Ohio State. While classroom experience is an important first step, field research is a critical part of what we do here and is one of the reasons students are drawn to the important work being conducted by our faculty. Graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to take part in field research because it can be a fundamental part of their education. Because all field research carries with it inherent risk, we constantly evaluate our research expeditions and stand behind our safety record.”

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