HARRISBURG— Two recent events involving Penn State continue the fall-out from the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
In Harrisburg, a bill introduced in the state senate would drastically alter the governing structure of Penn State University. State Senator John T. Yudichak (D-14, Luzerne/Carbon) unveiled the legislation to make its “Board of Trustees more inclusive, engaged and accountable.” The bill would alter the university’s governance to make it more like that of other state-related universities: Pittsburgh, Temple, and Lincoln.
Yudichak has said, “Under the current leadership of the Board of Trustees, the University has walked further and further away from its historic partnership with Pennsylvania acting more like a private institution.” Thirty senators from both parties have sponsored the bill, which would set the voting membership of the board to 36 members. The push for these reforms comes after the Sandusky child abuse scandal.
Additionally this week…The statute of limitations on child sexual cases is being talked about…A man who attended a Penn State Football Camp in the June of 1988 claims he was a victim of sexual assault while attending the camp. In an open letter, his family states this abuse led to his life spiraling “out of control, including a life of drugs, alcohol and serious crime.”
The man and his family are now fighting have his case heard, arguing that the statute of limitations have not expired despite laws that require criminal charges to be brought within 12 years of the victim’s 18th birthday if the alleged crime occurred before August 2002.
Daniel J. Kiss, the attorney for the alleged victim, will be holding a press conference at the Centre County Courthouse on June 3 in Bellefonte. The individual has asked that his name not be published. (John Brunner)