Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant coach who was found guilty on 45 counts of sexual abuse, has had his retirement package revoked.
The retirement package was revoked in November, Penn State spokesperson David LaTorre wrote in an email. Sandusky was charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse on November 4.
According to a report released by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, an agreement was made on June 29, 1999 to pay Sandusky $168,000 –– a lump sum that was awarded to Sandusky the following day.
According to the report, Sandusky received “a net amount of $111,990.18” after taxes and various deductions.
LaTorre said that the money paid to Sandusky cannot be revoked.
He said the following portions of Sandusky’s retirement package have been revoked: four free football season tickets for the rest of his life and the opportunity to purchase four more within the 35-yardlines; two men’s and women’s basketball season tickets for the rest of his life; lifetime use of a locker, weight rooms, fitness facilities and training room in the East Area locker room; a five-year agreement, subject to renewal, between Sandusky and Penn State to work collaboratively in community outreach programs such as The Second Mile that “provide positive visibility to the University’s Intercollegiate Athletics Program,” as well as a 10-year agreement, subject to renewal, giving him an office and telephone in the East Area locker room.
Penn State has no control over the status of Sandusky’s retirement terms, university spokesperson Lisa Powers said in an email.
“Jerry Sandusky's retirement compensation is through the State Employees Retirement System (SERS), over which Penn State has no control nor influence,” Powers wrote.
Sandusky retired on June 30, 1991, according to Freeh’s report.
“A senior official in the University Controller’s office advised the Special Investigative Counsel that in his many years at the University, he had never heard of a payment being made to a retiring employee like the one made to Sandusky,” according to the report.
The retirement agreement also gave Sandusky “emeritus” rank –– a rank that awarded Sandusky numerous privileges that were not given to university employees with equivalent titles to Sandusky, according to the report.
According to the report, this type of status was only given to “those who leave and hold the title of professor, associate professor, librarian, associate librarian, senior scientist, or senior research associate, or to personnel classified as executive, associate dean, or director of an academic unit in recognition of their meritorious service to the University” –– none of which Sandusky qualified for.
After retiring, Penn State made 71 separate payments to Sandusky for various activities, such as travel, meals and speaking engagements, between 2000 and 2008.
When Sandusky retired from Penn State, he was assistant football coach and assistant professor of physical education –– neither title qualified Sandusky for the rank granted, according to the report.
According to the report, former University President Graham Spanier told Sandusky that he would grant him emeritus rank, which at the time, was “wholly within his rights” as president of the university, according to the report.
Penn State University President Rodney Erickson “who had been Provost since July 1, 1999, honored Spanier’s promise to grant Sandusky emeritus rank given the President’s broad discretion under the policy,” the investigators said according to the report.
Erickson upheld Spanier’s request to give Sandusky emeritus status on Aug. 31, 1999, according to the report.
“Erickson described feeling ‘uneasiness’ about the decision on Sandusky because of Sandusky’s low academic title and the prior history of who was granted emeritus rank,” investigators said according to the report.
According to the report, after the investigation of Sandusky appeared in the media in March 2011, some employees of the Penn State Athletic Department asked Penn State General Counsel Cynthia Baldwin if Sandusky could be banned from using the facilities on campus. According to the report, Baldwin said “the University could not take his keys.”
