University President Teresa A. Sullivan spoke at yesterday's Board of Visitors meeting about Pennsylvania State University President Graham Spanier's termination, stressing the need for "good people, good processes, and good systems" in the University's operations to prevent a similar situation here.
The Penn State Board of Trustees fired Spanier and football coach Joe Paterno late Wednesday night as details surfaced about their role in responding to a report of child molestation. Paterno's former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, was charged Saturday with molesting boys across the country, including at Penn State. In 2002, Paterno's subordinate told the coach he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy. Paterno reported the account to Athletic Director Tim Curley, who relayed it to Vice President Gary Schultz. A Pennsylvania grand jury said the incident was never reported to police or child protective services, however, and that Curley and Schultz lied about the incident later. Both men were arrested Monday.
The University came close to hiring Sandusky as head coach for its football team in 2000, with The Washington Post reporting in late December of that year that "Jerry Sandusky has emerged as the front-runner to be Virginia's next football coach." The University ultimately hired Al Groh.
Sullivan emphasized the importance of hiring faculty who take their responsibilities at the University seriously, and she anticipates "a lot of faculty hiring over the next five to seven years."
"Good processes" should also be protected, Sullivan said, adding that the University values its hiring process and personnel evaluation process as a means to benefit the community.
Lastly, Sullivan stressed "good systems" must be in place in case individuals and processes fail. The University has "special protections" for children in research, daycare centers and pediatric clinics, she said.
Sullivan also noted the importance of remembering "the fundamental principle of American criminal law, that the men under indictment are assumed innocent until proven guilty." The University should learn from the news at Penn State and promise to lead by example, she added.
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