PSU Trustees to New York Times: Spanier Didn’t Share All Information; Paterno Could’ve Done More

Former Penn State President Graham Spanier did not fully inform the university trustees as top administrators appeared before a grand jury in Harrisburg, board members have told The New York Times.

Thirteen board members met with the newspaper over several hours earlier this week, according to a report posted Wednesday night.

Among their remarks, the trustees also “laid out what they said were three key reasons for firing (former football coach Joe) Paterno: his failure to do more when told about the suspected sexual assault in 2002; what they regarded as his questioning of the board’s authority in the days after (Jerry) Sandusky’s arrest; and what they determined to be his inability to effectively continue coaching in the face of ongoing questions surrounding the program,” the report reads.

It also goes into detail about interactions involving board members, Spanier and Paterno in the earliest days of the scandal ordeal.

Board members talked with The Times “because (they) grew weary of hearing criticism,” including calls for their replacement, the newspaper reported.

Their remarks appear to be board members’ most extensive independent comments to the news media since criminal charges were filed against Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz in early November.

Sandusky, a former football coach accused of an extended pattern of child sexual abuse, has said that he is innocent. Curley, on leave as university athletic director, and Schultz, a retired university vice president, also have said they are innocent. Both Curley and Schultz are facing cover-up-related charges.

The full New York Times report is available here.

Earlier StateCollege.com coverage is available via the page linked below.

Related coverage

• StateCollege.com’s earlier and ongoing coverage of the Penn State-charge situation