Penn State Scandal: Should Joe Paterno face charges too?

A unique thing about community colleges, at least here in North Texas is that the students do not actually reside on campus. Maybe that's why I view campus police as an "investigating authority" as odd, because my frame of reference is off. For a school like UT or North Texas where you have thousands of resident students living on campus, it makes perfect sense.

 

Penn State University (at their main campus) has 35,000 students. Some live off campus in the nearby town of State College but many live in the dorms. They have so many students that reside there, they have their own zip code, city name (University Park), EMT/Ambulance crews, Police Department, etc. They also have a nuclear reactor and a special detachment of NCIS agents assigned to Penn State due to several ongoing naval weapons projects. It's like a mini-city so having the campus police investigate rapes isn't all that odd.

 

Just found this in an article: "Penn State has 46 full-time armed officers, compared to 65 in surrounding State College."

 

All of the large campus PD's in the Boston area (B.U., B.C., Harvard, Northeastern) have full-time detectives, but any major crimes are investigated by the DA's office by statute. B&E's, larcenies, and robberies are investigated by the campus PD, which might ask for assistance from the local PD. Additionally, all campus officers hold commissions as deputy sheriffs in Suffolk (Boston) and Middlesex (Cambridge) counties, giving them police powers off-campus.

Most of them book their prisoners at the local police precinct, although I believe Boston University has their own cellblock (they are the premier campus PD in the Boston area). In any case, they're responsible for the arrest, transport, and prosecution of their arrests.

 

Here it comes;

NCAA launches investigation of Penn St.

Penn State Nittany Lions -- NCAA launching investigation in wake of scandal - ESPN

 

I knew they wouldn't be able to avoid the feeding frenzy for long. Oh...and JoePa has cancer (when it rains it pours) and McQuery might be getting canned.

 

Here is what gets me. Paterno is supposed to be receiving a $500,000k a year pension from Penn State. As a union public worker myself, I think these types of huge retirement payouts need to be capped and controlled. Friggin crazy.

I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth! :smile:

Abner :smile:

 

In spite of the almost daily news stories railing about the pensions of police officers in Massachusetts, they aren't even in the same galaxy as the pensions handed out to UMass employees, including a $208,000 annual kiss in the mail that former UMass President Billy Bulger (brother of serial killer Whitey Bulger) gets;

SJC allows Bulger pension - The Boston Globe

 

Same in Texas, taxpayer funded pensions from retired university staff staggers the imagination, it's way, way more handsome than what your average wage earner could ever hope to get.

 

Yeah, the media always reports some crazy retirements, when in fact the average rank and file worker gets a small pension. The (media) never seem to post the contrasting retirements between a State CEO and a rank and file employee, for example. They also don't mention government workers pay into their retirements as well.

Abner

 

That's our problem out her in Cali. These people may be academics, but there is no reason to pay them over the top salaries and retirements. That is being looked at VERY carefully by our Governor.

Abner

 

And why shouldn't they? Isn't that usually how the private sector does it? I know if I don't contribute I don't get the employer match...so I have to pay in.

 

I am not saying they shouldn't. I am saying the media makes it sound like government workers get these huge retirement payments while not make any contributions. My other point is concur with Bruce on the fact that the average rank and file employee pensions are tiny compared to other classifications.

Have a good one!

Abner :smile:

 

ex-FBI Director to investigate Penn State

Penn State taps ex-FBI director to probe sex abuse | Reuters

 

Gotcha'... I will say that federal government pensions seem to be at the upper end of the food chain as well, so I guess when you count county, city, state and federal employees some are going to be more reasonable while others will push the bell curve higher.

 

But then, there are so many public sector workers who could earn higher wages in the private sector, but choose their public sector jobs in part because of relatively better pension benefits, and/or fringe benefits, and/or job security. Chip away at these latter things and we shouldn't be surprised if we have to bid up salaries, or lose good employees.

 

Silly Penn State. Don't they realize that only the court of public opinion matters?

.. and could Reuters find a better word to use than "probe"?

 

..or at least that Sandusky is..

 

That's why I took the job I have....great benefits and a solid pension system.