Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said today that the Penn State Board of Trustees has yet to make reforms even after the release of former FBI Director Louis Freeh's Report that included multiple recommendations for changes, according to a press release.
“It’s time for the General Assembly, the governor and the Board of Trustees to step up, show leadership and take charge of reforming Penn State,” he said.
Wagner released a report including over two dozen recommendations including reducing the board's size, removing the university president from the board and removing the governor's voting powers.
Wagner found that other Big Ten boards have an average of 11 voting members, where Penn State has more than 18 members with voting privileges.
Wagner said that when boards are too large, it is more likely for governing responsibility to fall to the president or executive committee instead of the trustees, according to the release. Penn State has more than 30 members total.
Wagner is recommending that Penn State not hire a new university president until his recommendations are considered.
“I believe that leadership begins at the top,” Wagner said, according to the release. “If Penn State’s leaders – in this case, the Board of Trustees – refuses to show that leadership in this time of need, then the General Assembly and governor must fill the void.”
