Are the sanctions that Penn State is receiving enough?

[gregbroncs]

I supported the fine of 60M. Which is the football program's annual income. This punishes both football program and the school.

Not really. The school pays that. The same school that covered up the crime to protect the football program. If this was the only punishment do you really believe they would take a single penny from the football team? Not a chance in hell. They would take the money from other areas of the school. Just like they are going to do now.

IMO the football program was at the root of the problem and the football program needed to take the brunt of the punishment. The ruling by the NCAA punished the football program while not punishing the city around it or punishing more than necessary the students and members of the football team. They take some punishment here but the football players specifically were given a way out. The program needed to be put in it's place and the fine did absolutely nothing to punish the football program specifically.

 

[moevillini]

ok well I've read significant portions of the actual Freeh report, and as far as the 1998 incident, it seems very unclear how much Paterno was actually told about the incident or the investigation. it was handled mostly by the University police and the county child protective services, with input from the university's outside counsel. Curley ans Schultz seemed to be quite involved in the process, but Paterno's name is barely mentioned.

Before May 1998, several staff members and football coaches regularly observed Sandusky showering with young boys in the Lasch Building (now the East Area Locker Building or “Old Lasch”). None of the individuals interviewed by the Special Investigative Counsel notified their superiors of this behavior. Former Coach Richard Anderson testified at Sandusky’s trial in June 2012 that he often saw Sandusky in the showers with children in the football facilities but he did not believe the practice to be improper.60
...............

On the advice of counsel, Schultz and Curley declined to meet with the Special Investigative Counsel to discuss their knowledge and actions pertaining to the 1998 Sandusky incident. However, the Special Investigative Counsel discovered and reviewed numerous emails between Spanier, Schultz and Curley concerning the incident, and reviewed some of Schultz’s files and handwritten notes as well. These documents provide a contemporaneous record of the 1998 events.
...........

By May 5, 1998, Schultz had communicated with Curley about the Sandusky incident. In an email from Curley to Schultz and Spanier at 5:24 p.m. captioned “Joe Paterno,” Curley reports, “I have touched base with the coach. Keep us posted. Thanks.”f In an interview with the Special Investigative Counsel, Spanier said he did not recall this email, and pointed out that he received numerous emails everyday that provide him with updates on various issues.148 In a written statement from Spanier, he characterized the May 5, 1998 email as a “vague reference with no individual named.”
.............

As the investigation progressed, Curley made several requests to Schultz for updates. On May 13, 1998 at 2:21 p.m., Curley emailed Schultz a message captioned “Jerry” and asked, “Anything new in this department? Coach is anxious to know where it stands.” Schultz forwarded Curley’s note to Harmon,161 who provided an email update that Schultz then forwarded to Curley.162 The reference to Coach is believed to be Paterno.
On May 18, 1998, Curley requested another update by email.i Schultz responded that there was no news and that he did not expect to hear anything before the end of the week.
On May 30, 1998, Curley asked for another update by email.163
Schultz was on vacation at the time, but responded on June 8, 1998, saying that he understood before he left for vacation that “DPW and Univ Police services were planning to meet with him. Iʹll see if this has happened and get back to you.”

sorry about the random numbers and stuff, they are references to footnotes and other information in the report

At any rate, it does not seem up that Paterno really was all that aware or involved with the issue in the 1998 incident.

 

[moevillini]

... IMO the football program was at the root of the problem and the football program needed to take the brunt of the punishment. The ruling by the NCAA punished the football program while not punishing the city around it or punishing more than necessary the students and members of the football team. They take some punishment here but the football players specifically were given a way out. The program needed to be put in it's place and the fine did absolutely nothing to punish the football program specifically.

from what I've read, I blame the University itself more than the actual football program. They are/were the root of the problem.

 

[gregbroncs]

from what I've read, I blame the University itself more than the actual football program. They are/were the root of the problem.

I don't completely disagree. But it was the university protecting the football program that led to the problem. I don't think that if it was for any other sport or department at the university this gets covered up. They would have reported it and moved on. But because it was the football program and it's reputation along with the reputation of the school they for some reason decided to cover it up and allow it to continue.