Franco's Statement Calling For BOT Resignations

One of the most precious rights in our legal system is 
the right of due process. This is the protection 
needed so that no one is declared guilty without 
evidence and proof of fact. (The Freeh Report)

All of the principles of due process were ignored on
the evening of November 9, 2011 and that set into 
motion a path of destruction for Penn State University. 
The people who are responsible for this destruction
need to be held accountable. 

Most people, and you would think Penn State people 
in particular, would have given Joe Paterno, Tim 
Curley, Graham Spanier and Gary Schultz the respect 
of due process and the benefit of the doubt. There is 
no doubt that the self-interests and actions of the 
executive committee prevailed over the majority of the 
board and the principles of due process. The majority 
remained silent and cowed and did nothing to defend 
our great university.

It’s amazing how the members of this executive 
committee keep praising themselves for all the great 
things they claim to be doing. These are the same 
people that compromised our principles and our 
University. Their actions on that evening of 
November 9, 2011 set in motion a pattern of actions 
that are still felt today. 

We alumni and students have a lot of passion for our 
University. We want healing and unity and we do 
want to move forward. But first we need for the 
executive committee and Tom Corbett to remove 
themselves from the BOT in the best interest of Penn 
State. One thing is certain, the people who brought us 
to this point are not, I repeat are not, the people to 
move us forward.

So we are requesting that those members of the 
executive committee on the evening of November 9, 
2011 immediately remove themselves from the Penn 
State BOT. John Surma has already removed 
himself…the rest of this committee need to put Penn 
State first by also removing themselves from the 
board. We are asking Jim Broadhurst, Ken Frazier, 
Ed Hintz, Linda Strumpf, Karen Peetz, Keith Masser 
and Tom Corbett to remove themselves immediately.

Then we can work on moving forward.

Franco Harris ‘72