<p>The public doesn’t have to be at all board meetings. If the by-laws permit, the meetings can be by conference call, and I’m sure these by-laws do permit this. Notice requirements can be waived by consent. A motion can be made and seconded and someone can ask for discussion before there is a vote.</p>
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<p>They are ratifying the contract either because they believe the person who signed it did not have sole authority to sign or was acting as an agent for the entire BOD, with the BOD retaining the final authority to agree or not agree to the contract.</p>
<p>Just heard on NBC Nightly News that the football team will incorporate the child abuse awareness blue ribbon into their uniform.
They will also, for the first time, have their names on their uniforms - as a way of ‘honoring the players for their commitment to Penn State’ - Brian Williams’ quote, not mine.</p>
<p>From a Time magazine piece from a relevant new thread over on the main Parents Forum:</p>
<p>[Edmonds:</a> Why Campus Scandals Matter to College Applicants | TIME Ideas | TIME.com](<a href=“http://ideas.time.com/2012/08/08/campus-scandals-and-college-admissions-what-applicants-need-to-know/]Edmonds:”>Edmonds: Why Campus Scandals Matter to College Applicants | TIME.com)</p>
<p>Excerpt:</p>
<p>“The Penn State scandal, similarly, offers us insight into the values of the administration and the trustees of the university. Sports — and especially football — quite simply came first. Before academics. Before anything. While Penn State will surely be held up as an example of collegiate-sports culture gone wrong, any student planning to apply to a school with strong Division 1 athletics would be well served to look into how that athletic culture impacts the academic and social fabric of the university.”</p>
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<p>And all wear tees with a huge stitched-on Joe Paterno underneath.</p>
<p>Because so many people were wondering yesterday…the board president makes it clear that they are going to ratify the agreement, in order to make clear that the BOT is not fighting the sanctions or otherwise dragging it’s feet. </p>
<p>[Penn</a> State trustees to ratify NCAA consent decree by phone | Latest news | CentreDaily.com](<a href=“http://www.centredaily.com/2012/08/09/3293531/breaking-penn-state-trustees-to.html]Penn”>http://www.centredaily.com/2012/08/09/3293531/breaking-penn-state-trustees-to.html)</p>
<p>Thanks, greenbutton. First smart move by the BoT.</p>
<p>agreed, they do need to make a clear statement that they are accepting the agreement. Hopefully they are getting some feedback about how the recent actions have reinforced the appearance of an institution out of control.</p>
<p>myturnnow, I wouldn’t take this as a sign that they’ve come to their senses. They ratified the agreement for the same reason they fired Paterno: As a practical matter, they had no choice.</p>
<p>Geez LasMa - is it even possible for you to look at ANYTHING Penn State does in a positive way?</p>
<p>When the trustees that are causing all the trouble find out the BoT as a whole doesn’t agree with them, maybe they’ll resign - we can hope. They are the ones that make PSU look so bad, not just due to their own actions, but because of how and why they become trustees in the first place.</p>
<p>PSU has hard work ahead, rebuilding their reputation. I do feel bad for many of the current students and recent alumni, because they have little to no control over this. As much as they want to move past this and start the healing process, that won’t happen as long as a few outspoken individuals keep acting like petulant, defiant teenagers, who think nobody can tell them what to do.</p>
<p>I agree CT. Hope for the sake of the students and of course their parents, that with the start of the new school year the faculty seek to find creative ways to support the students and find avenues for all to move forward. Let’s hope they have the courage to talk about this and let more voices be heard, faculty and students alike.</p>
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<p>I wonder how many of these we’ll see at games?</p>
<p>Just got this ‘football quotes’ email. Thought I’d share, just to have some fun here. :)</p>
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<p>The NCAA “communist” shirt is also found in many other colors, for many other schools that have been sanctioned or otherwise crossed the NCAA. Just so nobody here thinks that it was invented at Penn State. </p>
<p>And LasMa, I get what you mean…but the BOT could actually choose to not “ratify” the agreement, they don’t have to, it’s not required or even part of the sanctioning process. They could just not do anything, vote-wise. The chair has called for it to be formally ratified in order to demonstrate that the people appealing the sanctions do not speak for the board, or have its endorsement either implied or direct.</p>
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Is that one BOT member (McCombie) still pursuing a law suit against the NCAA? What about the Paterno family – are they still suing the NCAA?</p>
<p>I believe the NCAA has told the Paterno family that the sanctions are not open to appeal. I have not seen a response to the BOT group apeall, but I imagine it will be similar.</p>
<p>Is there any way the board can get rid of Lubrano and McCombie? They are making the board as a whole look bad. Those two are doing their best to make it look like the entire board is still mired in the cult of Paterno-ism.</p>
<p>I think they were recently elected, so I don’t think they can be removed. A couple of board members joined McCombie.</p>
<p>[Feds</a> probe possible Sandusky child porn ring - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57491185/feds-probe-possible-sandusky-child-porn-ring/?tag=pop;stories]Feds”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57491185/feds-probe-possible-sandusky-child-porn-ring/?tag=pop;stories)</p>
<p>Boom goes the dynamite.</p>
<p>Long way to go to determine if these new charges are valid. But it would explain so much about this cover-up. If it was just Sandusky, they would have thrown him under the bus immediately. But they didn’t. Why?</p>
<p>Because “protecting the football program” might all of a sudden become “protecting multiple state and university leaders, and donors, from life in prison.” Which is a lot more plausible.</p>