By Ian Bush and Todd Quinones

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) – More than 600 Penn State alumni were at a hotel in King of Prussia Thursday night, looking to the university’s president for answers as a child sex abuse investigation continues and controversy remains over the firing of Joe Paterno.

Rodney Erickson says moving forward is essential — but to do so, the president says he knows he must demand openness and transparency.

For an hour and a half tonight, it was demanded of him.

From people who called on him to apologize and make things right with the longtime coach, and from those who said the Penn State board of trustees mishandled the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse allegations and allowed a scandal to explode.

Erickson pledged to honor the Paterno’s appropriately, and sit down with them when the time was right.

As for the board, Erickson says there are many questions they have yet to answer — he called on the alumni to press the trustees for details, but heard loud boos when he cautioned against a rush to judgment.

As for the alleged sex abuse victims, he says he’ll make sure Penn State sees they get justice.