UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It was a move Penn State’s nine alumni-elected trustees saw as a final effort for the university to become plaintiffs in the joint lawsuit by state Sen. Jake Corman and state Treasurer Rob McCord against the NCAA.
With the NCAA headed to trial in January over whether the governing body overstepped its bounds and acted in good faith by handing Penn State unprecedented sanctions in 2012, Monday’s special meeting called by the alumni-elected trustees was a final opportunity for the board to take a stand.
Instead, the divisions between Penn State’s trustees continued as board chairman Keith Masser, Penn State president Eric Barron and the majority of other trustees chose not to attend. Without enough members present for a quorum, several alumni-elected trustees spoke to nearly 45 audience members about the ongoing issues the board faces and questioned the fiduciary responsibilities of many of their colleagues.
“Individuals in the groups are loyal to themselves first, the group second and maybe Penn State third,” alumni-elected trustee Al Lord said to the group at the Penn Stater Conference Center. “This board must change. This great university, in spite of this board. It would be better served without any board right now. This board began digging the sewer that we’re in in 2011 and we’re still digging.
“We can’t fix this board from inside,” Mr. Lord said. “This board is failing badly right now. … If I could suggest one thing, I would say start over.”
Among the attendees was Sue Paterno, wife of the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. Stemming from the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal, in July 2012 Penn State signed the NCAA’s consent decree, thus accepting unprecedented sanctions that included a four-year bowl ban, scholarship reductions, a $60 million fine and 112 vacated wins.
The board needed 16 members present Monday in order to take action on a motion called for by trustee Anthony Lubrano regarding the lawsuit. Nine trustees were accounted for.
“This is one of the saddest days of my career,” alumni-elected trustee Robert Jubelirer said.
“Those who chose not to be here by judgment have ignored their fiduciary responsibility. … You call that leadership? I call that irresponsibility and I call that absolute arrogance.”
Responding to criticism that the alumni-elected trustees are solely interested in overturning the sanctions and rehashing the past rather than moving toward the future did not sit well with the group gathered at the front of the room. Trustee Alice Pope, who was elected by the alumni, said by accepting the sanctions Penn State then agrees that the university has a culture problem.
“[We] are tired of having people on our own board try and frame our willingness to fight hard against the NCAA as a distraction,” alumni-elected trustee William Oldsey said.
“You can disagree with us on our position against the NCAA if you like, the Freeh Report, etc., but I want you to stop suggesting that we’re not doing our jobs.”
Mr. Masser said last week it would be unlikely that the majority of the board’s members would attend the meeting. Mr. Barron planned to keep his options open but did not attend.
“It is disappointing that the meeting was called to discuss a matter the Board of Trustees has already considered at numerous meetings, rather than to discuss many of the important issues that have a dramatic effect on our more than 90,000 students and their families,” Mr. Masser said Monday in a statement.
Mr. Masser cited the need for an affordable education, support for Mr. Barron’s economic development agenda — which would provide better employment opportunities to graduates — and potential billion-dollar initiatives for the medical school as more pressing issues facing the board.
Penn State’s trustees have a regularly scheduled board meeting Jan. 16 and the Corman-McCord joint lawsuit vs. the NCAA is scheduled for trial Jan. 6.
First Published: December 15, 2014, 4:34 p.m.
Updated: December 16, 2014, 4:25 a.m.
