Penn State President to Review Freeh Report
Penn State President Eric Barron will review the Freeh Report that castigated the school’s handling of the Jerry Sandusky scandal — and provided the basis for NCAA penalties against the school.
The announcement comes after a week of revelations that the NCAA and former FBI Director Louis Freeh communicated closely during his investigation, as well as suggestions the NCAA bullied Penn State into accepting the penalties.
“If there are issues [with the report’s completeness or credibility] that I felt the board needed to know about, I committed myself to come forward to them and report what it is that I found,” Barron said.
As Freeh’s client for the university-commissioned report, Barron will presumably have ready access to all emails, memos, interview notes and other materials produced in the course of the investigation.
“I’m reviewing it with legal counsel so that as I’m examining it I’m advised of the legal significance of the things that I find,” Barron said.
“I committed myself that I would spend the time to do that … and I will come back to [the trustees] and tell them if there are issues, or no, I do not feel there are issues.”
The full Penn State statement:
In response to recent calls for an examination of the Freeh Report, Penn State President Eric Barron said he will conduct a review of the report and materials from the investigation.
STATEMENT BY PENN STATE PRESIDENT ERIC BARRON
On Friday, I informed the University’s Board of Trustees that I will conduct a thorough review of the Freeh Report and supporting materials produced during the course of the investigation. The contents of the report have led to questions by some in the Penn State community. I do not want people to believe that Penn State is hiding something. I feel strongly about this. For this important reason, and since I was not here during its completion, I will conduct my own review. There is considerable documentation to analyze, but I assured the Board I would move with all deliberate speed.
Eric J. Barron
