New Penn State President Seeks Change Of Focus
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The man recently hired to be Penn State's next president hopes it's time the focus will shift away from the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal to the many other things going on at Pennsylvania's largest university.
In a phone interview from Florida, president-designate Eric Barron found several different ways to deflect questions about divisions among alumni and others in the university community over the NCAA penalties against the football program, the treatment of Joe Paterno and the role of the board of trustees.
He says presidents at all major institutions have to think about the relationship between big-time sports and the wider university. At Penn State, it's a balance that's been criticized by the NCAA and hotly defended by alumni.
Barron is wrapping up duties as Florida State's president.
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