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Rodney Erickson, president of Pennsylvania State University, issued a statement Friday, following the conviction of Jerry Sandusky on 45 of the 48 charges against him, reaching out to the child sex-abuse victims in the case. "The legal process has spoken and we have tremendous respect for the men who came forward to tell their stories publicly. No verdict can undo the pain and suffering caused by Mr. Sandusky, but we do hope this judgment helps the victims and their families along their path to healing," said Erickson.
His statement also acknowledged that some of the victims plan to sue Penn State, and Erickson suggested that settlements are possible. "Now that the jury has spoken, the university wants to ... do its part to help victims continue their path forward. To that end, the university plans to invite victims of Mr. Sandusky’s abuse to participate in a program to facilitate the resolution of claims against the university arising out of Mr. Sandusky's conduct. The purpose of the program is simple – the university wants to provide a forum where the university can privately, expeditiously and fairly address the victims' concerns and compensate them for claims relating to the university. Counsel to the university plan to reach out to counsel to the victims of Mr. Sandusky’s abuse in the near future with additional details."
While the Sandusky trial is over (barring appeals), more fallout from the scandal is expected. Trials are pending for Tim Curley, the former athletics director, and Gary Schultz, a former vice president in charge of the campus police, on charges related to allegations that they didn't report child abuse by Sandusky.
The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported that the university has started "preparing trustees for the possibility of an indictment against former president Graham B. Spanier." Spanier has denied wrongdoing, and has been fighting with the university over access to e-mail records that he says he needs to adequately respond to various probes of the scandal.
