<p>When people hear the word “Penn State” this horrific coverup is what they will associate with the university. I don’t think it is right, but that is the reality. That is why corporations are as I write this pulling out of any association with the University. The degree will be tainted.</p>
<p>The school’s reputation isn’t tarnished. PSU will be in the news for a little while and then people will find something else to ceaselessly bash and criticize with their worthless time. I doubt that the actions of a few people will severely affect the attendance to an institution whose typical enrollment falls around 96,000.</p>
<p>sharkey-- Which corporations have ALREADY pulled out of Penn State? And from a sponsorship of athletic/football programs standpoint or from a corporate recruiting standpoint?</p>
<p>If students (some students) hadn’t rioted in support of Paterno, I might more easily think the rot was only in the administration and its desperation to maintain its supersaturated football-and-revenue domination. Most people outside the school seem to have reacted with horror and disgust at the idea that football loyalties trumped concern for children; the students who were rampaging in the streets seemed indifferent to that moral judgment, and just as desperate as their elders to maintain the football-is-all illusion. I grant that there are thousands of students there who didn’t feel that way, but it seems clear that “spirit” at PennState has been cultivated to way too extreme an extent. That is the taint that will remain.</p>
<p>marysidney - you do realize, I hope, that many of the students rioting the other night probably didn’t care a bit about Paterno or the football team. They were there and simply got caught up in the moment. The “mob mentality” is a strong force.</p>
<p>Same thing happened to DH back in the early 70s in DC when he and his fraternity brothers decided to join the protest around the White House to impeach Nixon. DH says he didn’t care a whit about Nixon - he was just out there to be with his fraternity brothers. They were there. He was there. It was something to do.</p>
<p>Something to be proud of? Of course not, but that’s part of growing up.</p>
<p>As for the “spirit” at Penn State, I agree with PSUstudent 15. The PSU school community is strong and resiliant. How about the following…(some of which I posted earlier) - </p>
<p>Blue Out Against Nebraska - Stop Child Abuse
[WPSU</a> / Community / Events](<a href=“http://wpsu.org/calendar/details/41723]WPSU”>http://wpsu.org/calendar/details/41723)</p>
<p>Candlelight Vigil
[Penn</a> State Scandal: Pep Rally Canceled, Candlelight Vigil For Victims To Take Its Place - SBNation.com](<a href=“Penn State Scandal: Pep Rally Canceled, Candlelight Vigil For Victims To Take Its Place - SBNation.com”>Penn State Scandal: Pep Rally Canceled, Candlelight Vigil For Victims To Take Its Place - SBNation.com)</p>
<p>ProudPSUforRAINN
[#ProudPSUforRAINN</a> | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network](<a href=“http://www.rainn.org/ProudPSUforRAINN]#ProudPSUforRAINN”>#ProudPSUforRAINN Continues to Raise Money for Victims | RAINN)</p>
<p>Again - proud PSU/Blue Band/SHC parent.</p>
<p>It’s the widespread institutional lack of fortitude that is disturbing. I don’t doubt the excellence of the academic departments, or the true nature of the students (not the ones who rioted). I am, however, concerned about what looks like unbridled institutional corruption at the top, and too much influence on the institution from a department (athletics) which had way too much power, which CAN filter down to the rest of the school.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[Sponsor</a> bails from ESPN’s Penn State-Nebraska telecast](<a href=“http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/11/sponsor-bails-from-espns-penn-state-nebraska-telecast/1]Sponsor”>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/11/sponsor-bails-from-espns-penn-state-nebraska-telecast/1)</p>
<p>And it won’t be the last.</p>
<p>^^^ Thanks, I tried googling but didn’t get anything. From a sponsorship standpoint I’m certainly not surprised.</p>
<p>With all due respect, some of you are making giant conclusions based on news, and not on experience actually living here or being a student. And with all due respect, students are assaulted every year on campus (sexually and otherwise) and the university does an admirable job of providing intervention, correction, and counseling. You can’t reasonably act as if PSU is less safe now than last week, just because you have been reading hyperbolic prose from bored AP writers in search of a hook. </p>
<p>As a parent, the only reason I would (and have) pondered the wisdom of my family members attending PSU would be the rampant alcohol problem (see St Patty’s Day). Students deserve all the bad press it brings. But as for the constant implication that the whole 46K UP student body endorses, condones, or makes light of abuse or what it has done – that’s just a cheap shot. The sister of the most publicized victim attends here, does not blame the students, did not blame Paterno and purposely came to UP in order to join THON (she has a family member with cancer) than who are all of you to say your indigation and outrage are more justified than hers? (Don’t have the link – this is a story reported in the Patriot-News. Which is not our local paper, I wish everyone would stop saying that, too)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I didn’t read the article but I am sure PSU will lose football recruits because the students don’t know who will be coaching the team next year. At the risk of sounding callous, I would wager that the greatest concern of the top recruit at a school like PSU might be his future career. (And I would not fault him for that.)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You have obviously heard about more than the handful of administrators that have been named in connection to the scandal. Can you share a link?</p>
<p>I would think that Spanier, Schultz, Curley and Paterno are a pretty potent little handful, there. Also, some BOT members apparently knew about case details (as you would expect in an ongoing nine-year case) and some others are upset because they were not informed. Doesn’t sound like things at the top were rosy.</p>
<p>What will be remembered for “decades” is the sight of thousands of Penn State students gathering in the streets and shouting for the return of their beloved father figure, as a collective university response to a shameful sexual abuse scandal. I understand that not everyone in the university was out there that night weeping for their football coach instead of the boys who were abused, but the reputation of the students of this school is tarnished. It will take years to reverse this, yes.</p>
<p>“Also, some BOT members apparently knew about case details”
I haven’t seen this. Can you point me to a source?</p>
<p>I just finished reading the 24 page grand jury report - all I can say is unbelievable! People need to read this - including all those students that rioted in favor of Paterno. This university is undeniably tarnished - anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken.<br>
Tip of on iceberg</p>
<p><<what will="" be="" remembered="" for="" “decades”="" is="" the="" sight="" of="" thousands="" penn="" state="" students="" gathering="" in="" streets="" and="" shouting="" return="" their="" beloved="" father="" figure,="" as="" a="" collective="" university="" response="" to="" shameful="" sexual="" abuse="" scandal.="">></what></p>
<p>It was not a “collective university response.” It was the over-reaction of about 10% of the student body. And many of them were probably just along for the ride (of emotion) - not really caring about the “cause.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the other 90% of the students (horribly embarrassed by the actions of the few) and most of the alumni are already pulling together - as true Penn Staters - and trying to make a difference. I have no doubt that raising funds and awareness for child abuse will now be as big an issue as raising funds for pediatric cancer is for the THON participants. </p>
<p>And it’s not the reputation of the students’ that is tarnished, it is the reputation of the administration - top down. And anyone (employer, acquaintance, business associate) who looks down upon a Penn State student/alum because of this situation is - in my opinion - not someone I want to have any dealing with.</p>
<p>From a column by a faculty member in the College of Communications–</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>and</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[State</a> College, PA - Russell Frank: We Are – Going to Be OK](<a href=“http://www.statecollege.com/news/columns/russell-frank-we-are-going-to-be-ok-930189/]State”>http://www.statecollege.com/news/columns/russell-frank-we-are-going-to-be-ok-930189/)</p>
<p>Apropos of Grcxx3’s post–
[Proud</a> to Be a Penn Stater](<a href=“http://www.proudtobeapennstater.com/]Proud”>http://www.proudtobeapennstater.com/)</p>
<p>Well…i’ve no connection to the university so good luck with this. It’s going to take some work and some institutional soul searching, I reckon…</p>
<p>1moremom -Great link! Thanks.</p>
<p>There are many, many people out there who feel that both high school and college sports (especially football) are over the top, out of control, and need to be shut down. Unfortunately, this situation just feeds their cause. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, there are others who understand the importance of HS/College sports (and all the groups/activities associated with football), but who do not hold it as the end-all/be-all.</p>
<p>But - I sincerely hope - that the students and alumni of Penn State will show that Penn State pride (WE ARE PENN STATE) does NOT revolve around football, Beaver Stadium, or Joe Paterno. </p>
<p>I hope that the efforts in place now to raise funds and awareness for victims of child abuse will match those of the THON fundraising activities.</p>
<p>@1moremon: agreed, those were some great quotes</p>
<p>terriergirl, when I say Nixon what do you think?</p>