Report: Penn State Trustees, Officials Discuss Honoring Joe Paterno
Penn State trustees and officials privately have discussed recognizing Joe Paterno at Beaver Stadium, according to a news report, renewing the conversation about honoring the late Penn State football coach. According to Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA, trustees and "high-ranking university representatives" met twice in January about naming the football field at Beaver Stadium after Paterno, who passed away in 2012.
Several trustees want to name the field for Paterno, while university officials are "hesitant," according to the Spotlight PA report. The story also suggests that trustees and university officials could be violating Pennsylvania law by keeping the discussions private. Penn State's Board of Trustees will hold its next full public meeting Feb. 16 on campus.
Naming the Beaver Stadium field after Paterno has been the subject of public and online campaigns over the past decade. Several current and former Penn State trustees have signed a letter endorsing the position. Among the current trustees who have signed are Jay Paterno, Anthony Lubrano, Brandon Short and Ted Brown, according to a website operated by supporters of the Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium mission. In 2022, four candidates for alumni trustee made honoring Paterno part of their position statements.
In 2022, ESPN aired a documentary called "The Paterno Legacy" that examined the university's relationship with the late football coach. The one-hour program concluded with a statement attributed to the university: "Regarding Coach Paterno, there are no plans for additional honors or a reinstallation of the statue.” In November 2011, Penn State's board fired Paterno after a grand jury indicted former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky for child sexual abuse. Paterno passed away in January 2012, and Penn State in July removed the statue of Paterno that stood outside Beaver Stadium. The university has not discussed the status of the statue.
Spotlight PA is an independent newsroom that covers Pennsylvania and conducts investigations into the commonwealth's government, educational and business concerns. It collaborates with state and local publications to report on matters of public interest, including those involving Penn State University.
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