Penn State trustees and high-ranking university representatives reportedl𒅌y met twice in private in January to discuss whether to name the field at Beaver Stadium after late head coach Joe Patജerno.
, the trustees are pushing hard to name the field after Paterno, who was firꦦed by the school in 2011 after the result of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal.
The longtime coach died in 2012 at the age of 85.
A statute of the coach outside Beaver Stadium was also removed in the wake of the impropriety coming to light, which saw Sandusky, the form💃er assistant coach, sentenc🎃ed up to 60 years in prison on 45 counts of of child sex abuse.
Former university President Graham Spanier, former♔ athletic director Tim Curley, and former vice president Gary Schultz alꩲso served jail time over the scandal.
University officials are re𒆙portedly hesitant to name the field after Paterno, who had over 100 wins vacated and later restored.
The meetings may violate Pennsy꧅lvania state law that requires government bodies to co🌠nduct business in public view, per Spotlight PA.
“The A🃏dministration and the Board of Trustees have embarked on numerous change initiatives based on President [Neeli] Bendapudi’s vision and goals and are focused on these priorities to continue to provide a world-class academic and student experience for years to come,” a university spokesperson told the outlet.
Paterno was Penn State’s head football coach for 45 years, winning two national championships (1982, 1986) and three Big Ten titles (1994, 2005, 2009).
His 40🅘9 victories are theꦉ most all-time by an NCAA football coach.
Before his head coach🌱ing tenure, Paterno spent 15 years with the Nittany Lions as an assistant. His 62 years with one program is the🦩 most anyone has spent with a single program.