STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State trustees on Friday approved the process to find a new president and an athletics code of conduct required by the NCAA as part of the penalties for the child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The university also received encouraging news after the Middle States Commission on Higher Education lifted its accreditation warning and reaffirmed the school was in compliance with the agency’s governance, finance and integrity standards.
The presidential search begins immediately, with the goal to find President Rodney Erickson’s replacement by next November. Erickson plans to step down by June 2014.
Board chairwoman Karen Peetz was confident the school would have no trouble finding potential candidates despite the scandal.
“By the time someone gets here in 2014, it will be just a distant memory,” Peetz said.
Earlier Friday, the higher education commission announced that the school was in full compliance with the agency’s governance, finance and integrity standards. The commission lifted the accreditation warning issued in August based on the fallout from the scandal that began a year ago with Sandusky’s arrest. Sandusky was later convicted and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing 10 boys. He maintains his innocence.
Deep fractures remain among some vocal alumni and others in the university community over how Penn State leaders handled the scandal; the internal investigation led by former FBI director Louis Freeh; and the landmark NCAA sanctions.
