Virginia’s Christian private college, Liberty University, has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit filed in New York by 12 women who alleged the university had a pattern of mishandling sexual assault and sexual harassment cases. The women accuse the campus of fostering an unsafe environment as a result of mishandling such complaints.

The settlement was announced after Jack Larkin, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, filed a notice of dismissal of the federal lawsuit. The 12 plaintiffs were not named in the suit and instead went by “Jane Doe.”

Larkin announced that the lawsuit had been settled but declined to share details. In an interview with WDBJ news, Larkin shared, “The terms of the settlement are confidential in nature and there’s really nothing I can say about it beyond that the parties to the suit have resolved their differences, and the matter is settled.”

Liberty University has also confirmed the settlement via an emailed statement. In the statement, the university shared that it would be taking steps to ensure similar issues don’t occur in the future. Among these steps are implementing over $8.5 million worth of security measures. Better lighting, installing more security cameras, installing blue light boxes, and launching a phone app that would allow students to report issues are all measures the university plans to take.

The emailed statement went on to explain that it has launched a review of its existing policies. "Its ongoing review of the campus Title IX department will result in further strengthening of its policies and procedures, including additional mandatory training for students and employees."

The policies at the center of the lawsuit are in regard to the university’s strict honor code dubbed “The Liberty Way.” Under this honor code, students are forbidden from having extramarital sex, drinking alcohol, or being involved in events where alcohol is served.

According to the lawsuit, the honor code made it “difficult or impossible” for students who were victims of sexual assault or abuse to report the incident. The lawsuit highlighted that when the university did investigate incidents, they did so using a “tacit policy” that would heavily weigh the investigation in favor of male students who were accused. In addition to mishandling sexual violence claims made by women, the complaint accused the university of going so far as to retaliate against women who made reports.

The lawsuit brought forward by the 12 women alleged that the university violated federal anti-discrimination laws under Title IX. The lawsuit contended that “Liberty University has intentionally created a campus environment where sexual assaults and rapes are foreseeably more likely to occur than they would in the absence of Liberty’s policies.”

Last month, a similar lawsuit was launched against the university. The lawsuit was brought forward by a woman who has also chosen to remain anonymous. Her suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. In her lawsuit, the woman claims that after she was raped, university officials failed to properly investigate her rape.

Following the announcement of the lawsuit, the Education Department announced that it would be launching its own investigation into the university regarding assault claims. The university has shared that it would fully cooperate in the investigation.

Along with high-profile assault claims, the university has been the center of controversy for several other reasons. From its support of former president Donald Trump to the national fall from grace of former president and chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., the university has managed to grace headlines time and time again over the past couple of years.