Poll: Pennsylvanians divided on NCAA penalties for Penn State from the Sandusky scandal
A Penn State University logo on the side of a merchandise trailer outside Beaver Stadium, in State College, Pa., on Monday morning, July 23, 2012. / AP Photo
(CBS News) Less than half of Pennsylvanians say the NCAA sanctions levied against Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal were too severe, according to a Quinnipiac University/CBS News/New York Times poll released Thursday.
The poll found that 44 percent of respondents thought it was too severe for the association to impose on the football program a multi-year bowl ban, the loss of 112 wins, a $60 million fine and a reduced number of future scholarships. By contrast, 33 percent of those polled said they thought the penalties were appropriate, and another 14 percent said they weren't severe enough.
The university leadership said the alternative could have been a complete ban on playing games, and has acquiesced to the penalties.
Sandusky was convicted in June of 45 counts of child sexual abuse, including attacks on boys inside athletics facilities at Penn State, where he played college football and became a successful defensive coach under the late Joe Paterno.
Lawyer: Sandusky distraught over NCAA sanctions
Watch: Penn State president on NCAA sanctions
Penn State slammed with sanctions over Sandusky
Households with a former Penn State graduate or a current attendee were more critical than others of the sanctions: a slight majority of 52 percent said the penalties were too severe.
Nevertheless, a majority of Pennsylvania residents think that major colleges and universities should place less importance on their athletic programs. Just 33 percent don't think so. Pennsylvania residents with college degrees are even more likely to think there should be less importance placed on athletic programs at that level - 70 percent think so, compared to 57 percent of those who don't have college degrees.
Even a majority of those who think the NCAA sanctions on Penn State were too severe still said there should be less importance placed on college athletics.
Penn State removes Joe Paterno statue
Popular on CBSNews.com
- O.J. Simpson's ex-lawyer contradicts his testimony on guns
- Dozens injured as commuter trains collide in Conn.
- Lives lost: Suburban fatal heroin overdoses 19 Photos
- Seven-time lottery winner shares secret to winning Powerball
- Powerball jackpot at $600 million -- and climbing
- Tornadoes rip through northern Texas 17 Photos
- Why marry? Three generations tell their wedding stories
- Jail logs: Cleveland suspect Ariel Castro polite to guard
Sandusky did.
Paterno died.
Everyone associated with Sandusky has been disciplined, fired, retired, or died (Paterno).
I don't believe the NCAA should have had the right to do such things to begin with. I believe it belongs to the School System President to hand down such penalties. I looked in the NCAA Rules, and cant find anything outside of recruitment and game policy.
IF it exists, can someone please post it and where it can be found?
netjunkie1, what NCAA rules did you "look in"? Here is the "NCAA Division I Manual - Constitution, Operating Bylaws, Administrative Bylaws."
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/genrel/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/1112ncaa-compliance-manual.pdf
Go read perhaps the most pertinent section, on page 3:
"2.1.2 Scope of Responsibility. The institution's responsibility for the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics
program includes responsibility for the actions of its staff members and for the actions of any other individual
or organization engaged in activities promoting the athletics interests of the institution."
Clearly, and I don't know how you can disagree with this, PSU was responsible for the conduct of Sandusky, Paterno, McQuery, Granier, Curley, and many others. Sandusky, as an assistant coach, committed felony sexual abuse and rape (how is that not in the purview of the university?). Others engaged in profound ethical, moral, and legal failure.
Two enforeable actions occurred. Part 1(a) of course was Sandusky's rape - repeatedly - of children. Sandusky was an employee of the institution at the time these began. Part 1(b) is that he carried out such rapes on university property at university facilities, and while on official business out of state, at away games, bowl games, hotel rooms, etc., both during his employment and subsequent to it, on PSU football property and facilities, and at PSU football functions.
Part 2 - Nearly everyone concerned, after the fact AND DURING THE FACT as Sandusky's abuse continued, engaged in a conspiratorial cover-up. Paterno passed on Sandusky as his successor after he found out. Later, Paterno, Curley, Granier, and others discussed the situation and decided to engage in a cover-up.
What don't you understand about that?
This cr@p goes on all over the country. I live in Oregon and I would never go broke overestimating the extent it gets swept under the carpet out here.
The sexual exploitation of little boys and girls by adults has a great deal more to do with psychopathic twits compelled to show "power over" weaker victims unable to defend themselves than with some weak willed individuals unable to control their urges. Adult rapists of other adults have the same perverse character.
Penn State was only one institution that got caught out. If Jerry S. hadn't been so foolishly blatant, the rot would still have remained undiscovered, and remained so for some time to come. I can't imagine how many other institutions have the same kind of skeletons in their closets (or worse yet!) and whose "people in charge" are scrambling to keep them under the radar.