Penn State president Eric Barron will review Freeh Report
Penn State will conduct a review of the Freeh Report after emails released by the NCAA have resulted in concern over the process used to determine the school's punishment.
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The NCAA released emails and deposition transcripts from the Penn State investigation into the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal this week, hoping to provide some context to the decision-making process behind the school's unprecedented sanctions.
One of the concerns raised by Penn State supporters is that the school was "bluffed" by the NCAA in agreeing to the penalties, which have since been reduced.
Penn State president Erric Barron announced that he would conduct an official review the Freeh Report, which contained much of the evidence cited by the NCAA in its decision to penalize the school, and its supporting materials.
"On Friday, I informed the University's Board of Trustees that I will conduct a thorough review of the Freeh Report and supporting materials produced during the course of the investigation. The contents of the report have led to questions by some in the Penn State community," Barron said in a school-issued release.
"I do not want people to believe that Penn State is hiding something. I feel strongly about this. For this important reason, and since I was not here during its completion, I will conduct my own review. There is considerable documentation to analyze, but I assured the Board I would move with all deliberate speed."
As colleague Jon Solomon wrote after reviewing the documents released by the NCAA, officials were concerned that a traditional enforcement process -- using the Committee on Infractions to determine sanctions -- might not result in the same evidence produced by the Freeh Report.
Penn State can compete in a bowl this season thanks to an NCAA decision to roll back its postseason ban and return the football program to a full scholarship limit in 2015-16.
