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Topic: president rodney erickson
Statement by Penn State President Rodney Erickson regarding Jerry Sandusky sentencing
The following statement was released today by Penn State President Rodney Erickson regarding the Jerry Sandusky sentencing
"Our thoughts today, as they have been for the last year, go out to the victims of Jerry Sandusky’s abuse. While today’s sentence cannot erase what has happened, hopefully it will provide comfort to those affected by these horrible events and help them continue down the road to recovery."
Penn State Retains Feinberg Rozen, LLP to Facilitate Possible Settlements of Pending Litigation
Pennsylvania State University announced today that it has retained the law firm of Feinberg Rozen, LLP to help facilitate the possible settlement of all outstanding personal injury litigation arising out of allegations of sexual abuse in connection with the Sandusky matter. The law firm – headquartered in Washington, DC – has received national recognition for helping to resolve mass litigation arising out of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks; the 2010 BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Virginia Tech Shootings in 2007 and the Massey Coal Mine Explosion in West Virginia in 2010. Both Kenneth R. Feinberg and Michael K. Rozen will make themselves available to assist Penn State, the victims of Mr. Sandusky and their counsel.
Search process for new University president being planned
On the final day of a two-day retreat (Aug. 26), Penn State trustees discussed the pending search for a new University president to replace Rodney Erickson when he retires in less than two years. The search is expected to start in earnest in early 2013.
Erickson, who took over in November as Penn State’s 17th president, is expected to retire on or before June 30 2014, as was announced previously. Since the search for a university president is generally a lengthy process, plans for naming several special committees to outline procedures and establish criteria and qualifications of candidates will begin soon, according to Trustee James Broadhurst, chairman of the board’s Committee on Governance and Long-Range Planning.
Penn State’s accreditation remains intact
A recent warning from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education related to Penn State's accreditation does not involve the academic quality of Penn State or its programs. The University's accreditation remains intact and its leaders are confident they will satisfy the commission's concerns.
"This warning has no bearing on our educational programs or the integrity of those programs," said Penn State President Rodney Erickson. "What's being looked at are issues of governance, integrity and institutional resources related to the fallout from the child sexual abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky."
Washington Post Opinions: The way forward for Penn State
The following op-ed written by President Rodney A. Erickson appeared in the Opinions section of The Washington Post on July 27, 2012.
The Way Forward For Penn State
Since the news about Jerry Sandusky broke last fall, the most challenging chapter in Penn State’s history has unfolded in the glare of the national spotlight. Those of us in leadership roles at Penn State have faced questions for which there is no playbook. I have spent many nights — and many more with our leadership team — considering the actions we must take to ensure that this university endures as an institution of which we can all be proud and one that learns from the past to be a brighter light for the future.
I knew when I accepted the position of president in November — and the Board of Trustees strongly agreed — that, for Penn State to move forward, we would need to uncover and expose the full scope of the university’s knowledge of Sandusky’s actions. We could not wait for courts to bring evidence to light. So, knowing that we would need to accept accountability for whatever was discovered, the board asked former FBI director Louis Freeh to lead an independent investigation.
The full article can be found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-way-forward-for-penn-state/2012/07/27/gJQABmenEX_story.html