Jumpstarting A Ruined Reputation

In November 2011, the indiscretions of Jerry Sandusky, a case that began in 2009, were brought to the attention of the public. I will not go in to detail, as the media has overwhelmed us with information for months; consequently, we all know the drama that ensued, culminating in him being found guilty to 45 of 48 counts in June 2012. Sandusky not only managed to ruin his reputation, but he also took with him the reputations of the legendary Joe Paterno and Penn State University.  Now with the conviction of Sandusky and the untimely passing of coach Paterno, Penn State is left to bear the brunt of the controversy. Receiving a seemingly exorbitant amount of punishment, Penn State has to rebuild and regain trust, but how?

It really seems like Penn State just can’t win right now. Joe Paterno built Penn State’s present program and people are torn about the direction that the school should take. There are diehard Paterno fans (which include many of the Penn State students) that believe Joe Paterno’s legacy should remain at Penn State, good or bad. There are also people who believe that Penn State should completely separate itself from all things Paterno related. While I fall in the first category, I understand the importance of the second. If Penn State wants to overcome this adversity, there is no choice but for the institution to recreate itself. Many students came to Penn State because of Joe Paterno; but now there’s a new head coach who is going to have to sell future students a new program and a new school. While removing the statue and the name and the records of Joe Paterno may be heart breaking for some, it’s time to create a new untainted legacy and let people see that this institution is still worth their time and their money. Penn State is learning and teaching us all a very valuable lesson. Sometimes the only way to get through adversity is to break all ties with the past and form new bonds for the future.

Briana Scales