Philadelphia. - On Wednesday, Penn State University announced that it would be hosting a conference on child-sex abuse this fall, in an attempt to improve what seems to be irreparable damages caused to the institution's reputation by the former football coach Jerry Sandusky child-molestation case and the consequential cover-up by university officials.
According to the university the conference will take place between October 29-30, the two day conference will feature expert speakers on child-sex abuse, including a lecture by a kidnapping victim. Retired boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard will also be making an appearance at the conference.
"Penn State has made a commitment to becoming a leader in the research, prevention and treatment of child abuse and this conference is an important part of that," university President Rodney Erickson said told reporters from the Miami Herald.
The school has been making numerous measures and contributions to the cause of child-molestation, in part to demonstrate the university's remorse over the Sandusky affair, but also to rebuild its reputation, which seems to be permanently tarnished after the former assistant coach was convicted on 40 plus counts of child-abuse and rape, only to be exacerbated by the release of the Freeh report, which implicated top university officials in covering up the convicted pedophile.
The University has been donating significant sums of money to organizations such as Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and also setting up a Center for the Protection of Children.
On Tuesday, the university learnt that the scandal will continue to threaten it when the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an organization which accredits universities in the North-Atlantic area told PSU authorities that while the institution remains accredited it is only "on warning," and that it remains "in jeopardy" until provided with a monitoring report by the end of September.
The accrediting organization demanded the university provide a detailed report on measures taken to comply with "standards on leadership and governance as well as integrity," as reported by the Associated Press. It also requires the university to confirm its ability to pay the imposed fines by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Earlier this month, Ryan McCombie, a Penn State University Board of Trustee member, sent a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association indicating intent to appeal the sanctions posed on the university as a consequence of the cover-up scandal in the Jerry Sandusky, former football coach, child-sex abuse case.
McCombie told Philly.com, "I know my actions will be poorly received by some on this board and in the community at large. To that end it would be easier to remain silent and allow these unfair actions to remain unchallenged. I cannot do this," McCombie wrote to his fellow board members."
Paul Kelly, attorney of McCombie, sent the letter to the NCAA. The letter was also signed by a number of other trustees who agree that the $60 million fine, among other things, was too harsh a punishment on the institution and that the university deserved a fair trial.
The NCAA released a statement through its spokesman Bob Williams regarding the matter stating, "The Penn State sanctions are not subject to appeal," as reported by Philly.com
Ultimately the a vote to ratify the sanctions was suspended on count of an undisclosed "technical legal issue," as reported by RadorOnline.com
The university faces $60 million in fines imposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the Sandusky cover-up, $10 million in investigative and public relations expenses and of course millions in settlements with victims. In addition, the university received a five year ban on playing football.
PSU president Rodney Erickson told Bob Schieffer in a CBS interview of "Meet the Nation," that the university was adequately prepared financially to resolve the various lawsuits it faces (or will face) in light of the former football coach Jerry Sandusky's child sex-abuse scandal and the consequential cover-up revealed in the recently released Freeh Reports.
He also expressed, on behalf of the university, willingness to comply with the sanctions and work towards resolving matters with victims and families to their satisfaction. Erickson iterated that "like any University our size, we believe we are adequately prepared."
According to the 2011, the University made approximately $1.4 billion from tuition, which is the institution's main source of income.
The institution's insurers Pennsylvania Manufacturer's Association Insurance co- the Blue Bell Company has refused to pay general liabilities. The company filed a plea in January that its general-liability, directors & officers policies will not cover any liabilities caused under the Sandusky scandal.
According to Boston Herald, the university can neither claim sovereign immunity because it "does not typically protect even publicly supported schools from serious liability claims," according to Bostonherald.com
According to a statement released by the university, no philanthropic funds will be used to make payments involved with the scandal. As the nation waits to see what is to become of the university in the next chapter of this disastrous chapter, it remains to be seen if Erickon's claims hold true.
In May, Jerry Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts of child sex-abuse and molestation during his reign as assistant football coach at PSU. The 68 year-old, is currently in Centre County prison awaiting his sentencing. He could face a maximum sentence of 373 years. Recently, former FBI director Louis Freeh released a report that implicated top university officials in a meticulous cover-up of the various allegations against Sandusky. The officials implicated included among others the much revered coach Joe Paterno.
