The NCAA proposed a settlement on Friday that would restore the Penn State football team’s wins that were vacated after the Sandusky child molestation scandal.
Included in the deal is a new $60 million fine that would help provide for educational programs and reporting mandates for suspected child abuse in Pennsylvania.
Per the NCAA, the proposed agreement includes the following:
• Penn State agrees to commit a total of $60 million to activities and programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse and the treatment of victims of child sexual abuse.
• Penn State acknowledges the NCAA’s legitimate and good faith interest and concern regarding the Jerry Sandusky matter.
• Penn State and the NCAA will enter into a new Athletics Integrity Agreement that (with concurrence of the Big Ten) includes best practices with which the university is committed to comply and that provides for the university to continue to retain the services of Sen. George Mitchell and his firm to support the university’s activities under the Athletics Integrity Agreement and in the areas of compliance, ethics and integrity.
The deal is still awaiting final approval from the Penn State Board of Trustees and the NCAA Board of Trustees; Penn State board chairman Keith Masser told the Associated Press that the Penn State board would meet early Friday afternoon to discuss their plan of action.
If the settlement, which will replace the 2012 consent decree signed by the former Penn State president Rodney Erickson, is approved on all sides, Joe Paterno will once again be the winningest football coach in college history with 409 official wins.
The settlement was proposed just weeks before a trial in Pennsylvania state court to determine the legality of the NCAA’s actions in the consent decree. The lawsuit began as an attempt by two Pennsylvania state officials to force the money paid in the initial fine to remain in Pennsylvania; under the new settlement, the money will stay in Pennsylvania.
In September, the NCAA lifted the postseason ban and restored the football scholarships after reports showed that Penn State made tremendous progress in promoting child abuse education and awareness.
Jerry Sandusky is currently serving a 30-60 year sentence after being convicted of 45 counts of child abuse.
Photo Credit: www.cleveland.com
UPDATE:
The Penn State Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve the settlement proposing the restoration of Joe Paterno’s wins. Penn State president Eric Barron said, “I very much see myself in full support of [Pennsylvania Senator Jake Corman’s] comments and his commitments along these lines.”
The Paterno family issued a statement calling the results of the settlement “a great victory.”
