After an initial inquiry, the US Department of Education informed the University of Iowa on 22 May 2015, that it will conduct a formal investigation to determine if gender bias was a factor in the firing of Griesbaum and other female coaches at Iowa. On 5 May 2016, a story by Annie Brown of the Center for Investigative Reporting was published on the organization's Reveal website and carried on its radio program. Brown said the names of those who made the allegations were never revealed. She sought to find them. Reaching out to 60 of Griesbaum's former players, "hoping to find one who complained or thought the allegations of verbal abuse or forcing athletes to play injured were justified. Twenty-four agreed to speak, but none had anything negative to say about Griesbaum," Brown reported. The story noted that Barta has fired 5 female coaches since becoming athletic director, but when pressed by Brown, Barta declined to discuss the number of females at the university, saying the issue is a national problem. On 27 July 2015, Griesbaum filed a formal civil rights complaint against the University of Iowa with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. This was the first step required by Iowa law to ultimately file a civil lawsuit regarding her termination. On 24 January 2016, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission announced their findings in the Griesbaum complaint and indicated that she has a "reasonable possibility" of proving that gender or anti-gay discrimination played a role in her firing. Griesbaum filed a civil lawsuit against the University of Iowa on 7 March 2016. On 4 November 2015, former associate athletic director, Jane Meyer, filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against the University of Iowa, the Board of Regents, and the State of Iowa. This was a result of being reassigned from the department of athletics in anticipation of her domestic partner's, Tracey Griesbaum, anticipated lawsuit against the athletic department for wrongful termination. Meyer's lawsuit went to trial in May 2017. The jury found that Barta and the UI had discriminated against Meyer, and awarded her $1.43 million in damages. Three weeks later, UI settled all claims with Meyer and Griesbaum, totalling $6.5 million. When Barbara Burke became Iowa deputy athletic deputy director in 2017, USA Today noted "she was promoted to the No. 2 position in the University of Iowa athletic department the same week the department went on trial for discriminating