Jerry Sandusky has been downgraded.
Penn State University has officially revoked the retirement package of Sandusky, a convicted pedophile, according to the Daily Collegian.
Sandusky, a one time assistant football coach at PSU, retired in 1999 and received a lump sum payment of $168,000. The Freeh report, released last week, noted this was a highly unusual amount.
Another bizarre condition of Sandusky's retirement included giving him "emeritus" status, which allowed him generous privileges. At the time of his retirement, Sandusky was an assistant physical education professor and assistant football coach positions, which wouldn't qualify him eligible for the emeritus rank. He was given wide access to use facilities on campus, including the locker rooms and showers where he was found to repeatedly molest and rape young boys.
University spokesman Dave La Torre gave further details to the Collegian:
He said the following portions of Sandusky’s retirement package have been revoked: four free football season tickets for the rest of his life and the opportunity to purchase four more within the 35-yard lines; two men’s and women’s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.
Sandusky was found guilty on June 22 of 45 criminal counts relating to the assault of 10 boys over a 15-year period. La Torre said he's unclear about when the university officially revoked the retirement package.
La Torre told The Huffington Post Sandusky's emeritus was officially removed.
According to the Freeh report, Rodney Erickson as provost honored then-PSU President Graham Spanier's request for the emeritus rank for Sandusky. Erickson, who is now Penn State's president, said he felt "uneasy" about approving it.
The $168,000, in addition to 71 separate payments made between 2000 and 2008 by Penn State to Sandusky for items including travel, meals and speaking engagements, will not be revoked, the Collegian reports.
However, Sandusky will still be collecting nearly $5,000 a month through his pension from taxpayers. Some lawmakers have said they want to review any possible options to cut Sandusky off from his pension, but they acknowledge that would be unlikely.
La Torre told HuffPost the university wasn't able to answer any questions about his pension, as that falls under the authority of the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System.
After his retirement, Sandusky made $57,000 each year in addition to travel expenses from The Second mile, a charity he founded in 1977.
At the time of Sandusky's retirement, PSU head football coach Joe Paterno had wanted him to stay on in some capacity with the football program. Paterno reportedly said Sandusky could become the next head coach if he wanted to.
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