Penn State Trustees To Meet For First Time Since Release Of Thornburgh Report
By Oren Liebermann
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS) -- Penn State University made the news this week, and trustee Anthony Lubrano plans to keep the school there.
"We can't ignore the fact that we handled something very badly," Lubrano said, "but that's what we seem to want to do."
On Friday, the Board of Trustees will meet for the first time since the release of the Thornburgh report.
Joe Paterno's family commissioned the report, which absolved Paterno of covering up the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. The Thornburgh report blasted the university's Freeh report, which faulted Paterno.
The Thornburgh report is not on the agenda for Friday's meeting, but Lubrano says he will bring it up.
Lubrano and a growing number of trustees want the full board to question Judge Louis Freeh openly.
"In my mind, what Freeh did was not an investigation, but a prosecution," said Lubrano.
The Freeh report found the culture of the university idolized football, creating an environment where Sandusky could get away with his abuse. Lubrano challenged that conclusion.
"I would argue that we had no such cultural problem, certainly not in athletics, certainly not with football. The culture problem lies with that Board of Trustees because of how they operated for so long, and it's a systemic problem," said Lubrano.
This week, Penn State University released the latest spending report following Jerry Sandusky scandal. The total now stands at $41,059,671. Of that money, $8,147,597 went to Judge Louis Freeh and his firm, while $4,431,486 went to pay for the legal defense of ousted President Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, and others.
A number of former Penn State football players will attend the next board meeting. They intend to speak, hoping to turn their comments into a conversation.
Penn State University released the following of their expenditures as of 12/31/12:
Some of the fees and costs set forth below are expected to be reimbursed under the University's insurance policies.
■NCAA Fine: $12,000,000
■Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan/Pepper Hamilton LLP: $8,147,597
■Independent Monitor: $1,072,968
■DLA Piper, LLP
■Board of Trustees - Legal Services, Consulting Services and Communications: $5,395,981
■Reed Smith LLP
■Ketchum
■Daniel J. Edelman, Inc.
■Kekst and Company Inc.
■Domus Inc
■The Academy Group
■TAI
■KPMG
■Guidepost Solutions
■University Legal Services/Defense: $7,661,566
■Saul Ewing
■Duane Morris
■Lanny J. Davis and Associates
■Jenner & Block, LLP
■ML Strategies
■Lee, Green & Reiter Inc.
■McQuaide Blasko
■Document Technologies, Inc.
■White and Williams, LLP
■Feinberg Rozen, LLP
■Other
■Externally Initiated Investigations: $480,090
■Margolis & Healy
■Lightfoot, Franklin, White LCC
■Buchanan Ingersoll
■Saul Ewing
■Other
■Indemnified Persons' Legal Defense: $4,431,486
■Farrell & Reisinger
■Caroline M. Roberto
■Vaira & Riley
■Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis, LLP
■Gover, Perry & Shore
■Gentile Meinert Assoc.
■Fox Rothschild LLP
■General Indemnified Persons' Defense
■Various Vendors
■Other Institutional Expenses: $1,869,983
Total as of December 31, 2012: $41,059,671
Please note: It routinely takes 40-45 days until The University receives all invoices for a particular month. Updates to this list will be made as soon as possible.
