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Penn State's board of trustees says it will appoint a special committee to examine the ''circumstances'' that led to a child sex-abuse scandal and possible cover-up involving a former assistant to Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.
The furor over the indictments of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and two university officials is eroding support among board members for Paterno, college football's winningest coach, to stay in his job.
In a statement Tuesday night, the Penn State board said it was ''outraged by the horrifying details'' of the Sandusky case. The committee will be appointed at the board's regular meeting Friday, and will examine what failures occurred and who is responsible.
Full text of the statement:
The Board of Trustees of The Pennsylvania State University is outraged by the horrifying details contained in the Grand Jury Report. As parents, alumni and members of the Penn State Community, our hearts go out to all of those impacted by these terrible events, especially the tragedies involving children and their families. We cannot begin to express the combination of sorrow and anger that we feel about the allegations surrounding Jerry Sandusky. We hear those of you who feel betrayed and we want to assure all of you that the Board will take swift, decisive action.
At its regular meeting on Friday, November 11, 2011, the Board will appoint a Special Committee, members of which are currently being identified, to undertake a full and complete investigation of the circumstances that gave rise to the Grand Jury Report. This Special Committee will be commissioned to determine what failures occurred, who is responsible and what measures are necessary to insure that this never happens at our University again and that those responsible are held fully accountable. The Special Committee will have whatever resources are necessary to thoroughly fulfill its charge, including independent counsel and investigative teams, and there will be no restrictions placed on its scope or activities. Upon the completion of this investigation, a complete report will be presented at a future public session of the Board of Trustees.
Penn State has always strived for honesty, integrity and the highest moral standards in all of its programs. We will not tolerate any violation of these principles. We educate over 95,000 students every year and we take this responsibility very seriously. We are dedicated to protecting those who are placed in our care. We promise you that we are committed to restoring public trust in the University.
