Penn State Athletic Director to Stay till Erikson Retires
ByPennsylvania State University President Rodney Erikson announced at a university student forum Wednesday that Athletic Director Dave Joyner will keep his job, at least till Erikson retires.
Echoing his point made in an earlier interview to Bloomburg, Erikson said in response to a question posed at the Fall 2012 Student Town Hall meeting, that Joyner was doing a great job in athletics and he will continue to do his job until June of 2014 when Erikson's contract expires. The search for his successor is set to begin in November.
As mentioned in the interview and later in the forum, Erikson wants his successor to lead the search for the next Athletic Director. This was suggested in the Freeh Report.
Erickson, 65, said that it was 'appropriate' for the next president to make the choice.
Joyner replaced Tim Curley, the school's former athletic director in November 2011 after he was charged with concealing child sex-abuse allegations against Sandusky and later lying about his involvement to a grand jury. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Joyner has said since being appointed acting athletic director that he would stay on as long as the administrators desired. He was present at the student forum Wednesday.
He later said that he was happy with Erickson's decision 'because I want to continue to help,' he said.
"I love this university, I believe in it."
Joyner, 62, happens to be a Penn State alumna, who played offensive tackle for Penn State from 1969- 1971, earning first-team All-American honors his senior season. He also wrestled from 1970-72, again earning All-American honors and finishing as the NCAA runner-up in the heavyweight division in 1971, Bloomberg reports.
He was also the U.S. Olympic Committee's head physician at the 1992 Olympic Winter games.
Meanwhile, Erikson also mentioned in the forum that the school wants to settle the civil suits filed by the Sandusky sexual abuse victims and is in the development of a 'fair to everyone' process. He said Penn State ensures that victims are dealt with in a just manner, Pennlive reports.
The university hopes to release more details soon, he said.