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November 10, 2011

Penn State president ousted in scandal aftermath

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The president of Penn State has been removed from his post in the wake of a child sex-abuse scandal involving a former football coach at the university.

Graham Spanier, who is Jewish and according to The Daily Collegian was active at the Penn State Hillel, was relieved of his duties on Wednesday by the Board of Trustees. He served as the university’s president for 16 years.

Along with Spanier, Penn State’s iconic head football coach, Joe Paterno, was fired in the aftermath of the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach at the school who has been charged with sexually abusing eight boys over a 15-year span. Neither Spanier nor Paterno have been charged in the case.

“This university is a large and complex institution, and although I have always acted honorably and in the best interest of the university, the buck stops here,” Spanier said in a statement. “In this situation, I believe it is in the best interest of the university to give my successor a clear path to resolve the issue before us.”

Rodney Erickson, the university’s executive vice president and provost, will serve as acting president.

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