STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State’s board of trustees will meet this weekend to consider whether to ratify a consent decree with the NCAA that imposed penalties for how the university handled the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal.
Board chairwoman Karen Peetz told fellow trustees Thursday in an email, which was obtained by The Associated Press, that said there was confusion about how Penn State accepted the sanctions and whether it was the “best course” for the university.
“We have heard from President (Rodney) Erickson and from our legal team,” Peetz wrote. “We have had an opportunity to speak our minds. I appreciate everyone’s candor and your sincere and heartfelt comments. However, it is now time to put this matter to rest and to move on.”
The resolution before the board would say that it “wishes to and hereby does ratify” the consent decree.
“We are leaders of this university,” Peetz told the trustees. “We need to lead.”
A notice posted on Penn State’s website said the 5 p.m. Sunday telephone conference would be broadcast live online.
The NCAA on July 23 barred the school from postseason play for four years, fined it $60 million and invalidated 112 of the football team’s wins for the way school officials handled abuse complaints against Sandusky, a retired assistant football coach who was convicted in June of 45 sexual abuse counts.
The school acquiesced to the penalties, but some trustees, alumni and others have reacted angrily. Some trustees and the family of former football coach Joe Paterno, who died in January, have sought to appeal the NCAA’s decision, but the organization has said the decision is not subject to appeals.