Jerry Sandusky and Juniata College

Jerry Sandusky and Juniata College
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How Juniata College Handled The Jerry Sandusky Investigation
December 2011
Some Background…
Sandusky hired 1967-68 as Juniata
football and track coach
Leaves 1968-69 season for Boston
College
Hired at Penn State in 1969
Sandusky works as Penn State linebackers coach, then named defensive
coordinator in 1977
Linebacker U: Penn State’s national reputation comes from defense
Retires in 1999, after a 1998 complaint, works at Second Mile. Press at
the time praises altruism
Jerry In Retirement 1998-2010
Works at Second Mile with underprivileged
children.
Volunteers as coach at various campuses and
high schools
Works with central Pennsylvania coaches at
clinics around the state.
New coach comes to Juniata
December 2008 from University of
Tennessee, Chattanooga.
Originally from central
Pennsylvania.
Division I and II coaching resume
Sandusky asked to give motivational
talk in August 2009 as part of
bringing back coaches, alumni players
Sandusky begins “Hanging Around the Team” 2009
Juniata coach asks to put him on volunteer staff 2010.
Background check initiated May 27, 2010
Background check
returned June 2, 2010
HR sends letter to
Sandusky June 3, 2010
Provost tells coach that
Sandusky cannot be
“associated with
program” June 3, 2010.
Athletic director
reiterates order June 6,
2010
Problem Solved?
--The background report did not reveal what he
was under investigation for. Rumor among
administration was embezzlement.
--During 2010 season Sandusky kept coming to
games and practices.
Sept. 25 game vs. Franklin & Marshall, Sandusky
is seen in press box, quoted in newspapers.
Following F&M game, AD orders coach to
remove Sandusky from Juniata program.
Not So Fast…
Jan. 2011, athletic director leaves for
new coaching job at prestigious
institution.
Spring Semester 2011, football coach
leaves for new job.
Neither were fired or asked to leave.
Sandusky Arrested Nov. 9, 2011, the
following academic year
December, Sandusky Story Breaks, We…
Construct a timeline of every step of the
process
Find photos of Sandusky in 1968 yearbook.
Interview former AD and current football
coach
Reporters call, asking…
Checking Sandusky’s
resume, see he worked
as assistant coach in
1967.
Calls ensue starting at
7:50 a.m. from Randy
Pennell, Philly AP
bureau.
If Juniata had any incident reports from 196768
If they asked if Sandusky had further contact
with the program. We immediately say yes,
and take them through the timeline.
Including the documented (1) game where he
was seen in the Press box or at the game.
Fielded calls from…
-- AP calls at 7:50 a.m. as I’m driving in; then NBC, ABC, CNN, ESPN, NPR,
regional radio, Philly Inquirer, Pittsburgh TV, throughout the day.
--End of Day: WHPTV CBS 21 reporter Jason Bristol shows up unannounced at
office. We allow him to do a standup on campus.
--Reporters from networks contact football players via Facebook, asking for
interviews
Sandusky Denied Volunteer Job at Juniata
—USA Today
2nd Day Story—Kudos from media
Brian Williams’ Rock Center producer offers us slot, car, plane
ESPN wants Juniata representative on E:60
Dec 13, 2011
CBS21 WHPTV contacted by Juniata football players who say Sandusky coached all year
long. Players are given the full “60 Minutes treatment”
Sets off new round of interviews with major media, but just AP, CNN, ESPN
Juniata underlines that coach was ordered to cut ties.
“We gave our coach three distinct orders to get rid of this guy.”
Things We Did That Helped
--Answered direct questions fully.
--Gave reporters full access to sources on and off campus.
--Let Alumni and Students go on social media. We did not edit or censor. Students and
alumni who could read news stories came to our defense.
--Reporters tried to contact football players on Facebook—Held meeting with players
giving them permission to talk.
--Held meeting with coaches to tell everything -- “Don’t try to make the college look
good.”
--Did not go on TV. You Tube is forever.
Posted letter to alumni from President on website
Things We Did Wrong
--In retrospect, we should have told the full story right away instead of waiting for the
reporter to ask the right questions.
--I wanted to get a “process story” out with the local sports editor, so we could refer
reporters to it, on how Juniata’s team became involved with Sandusky. Overruled.
--Should have met with coaches and athletes first day for huge town meeting to find out
exactly what happened and when. Instead, relied on chain of command.
--Should have had news clips ready to show how coach and athletic director left. On
surface, it looked like they were fired.
Things any College or University Should Do
--Silence is not Golden: Answer the phone.
--Try to let Social Media play out. Wouldn’t have worked in Penn State’s case—too much
vehemence on both sides.
--Get President or next ranking officer out front to underline the message whatever it is:
In PSU’s case, Rodney Erickson said shortly after being named president that Penn State
is a respected research university, not a vehicle for football prominence. He should still
be saying it 24-7 right now. Don’t hide behind spokespersons.
--In crisis, decisions should be made by senior PR staff.
--Explain policy for employment, contracts, legal issues in each interview.
--Do not worry about donors. Problems at Penn State flowed out of Joe Paterno’s refusal
to retire in 2005 and university’s dependence on the coach’s effectiveness as a fundraiser.
Bad Calls: Penn State Penalized
Penn State is a tiny media market, where all media is
financially or otherwise tied to university. Not used to
probing questions from major media.
PSU President Graham Spanier only used to present
“good news.” Conspicuously absent in addressing
athletic misbehavior, student deaths from drinking,
summer riots.
Penn State has a special exemption under Pennsylvania’s
Right to Know law. Harrisburg Patriot-News reporter Jan
Murphy had to sue to reveal Paterno’s salary (just over $1
million), Spanier’s salary, and won. PSU appealed to the
Pennsylvania Supreme court. That’s actually a good story
for PSU, JoePa was paid significantly less than many
lesser coaches.
From an Penn State email to Keith Moore commenting on the investigation:
"I can tell you personally that I have never been so disappointed in the media
as I have been over the past year…. I found the rush to be first rather than
accurate extraordinarily disturbing and did not bode well for the future of
journalism in our country. In addition, the overall lack of understanding of
how a university operates, how contracts even at public institutions are
binding, how pensions operate; how losing leadership is a difficult challenge
and especially during a crisis can add to the frenzy; how institutions as
complex as Penn State have challenges keeping everyone informed, especially
when the full story of a crisis is still unfolding; how legal considerations play a
role in every action — all frustrating to say the least…"
Fair?