Erickson Would Become President in Event of Spanier Exit

The Easton Express-Times is reporting that, according to a source close to the Board of Trustees, Penn State President Graham Spanier will either resign or be forced out of his post by the Board of Trustees by the end of today.

His 16-year tenure, which began in 1995, will apparently end under dishonorable circumstances in the wake of an alleged cover-up of sex crimes committed by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

In that article, the Express-Times also mentions the man who would replace Spanier as Penn State’s President.

Speculation had indicated that former Pennsylvania Governor and Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge might be brought in as interim President. However, all signs point elsewhere.

Rodney Erickson has been the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University since 1999. While the Trustees may be appointing someone to lead in the interim, it is Erickson who currently has the experience necessary to run the University on a day-to-day basis, and according to the Express-Times, is the most likely candidate to replace Spanier in his exit.

Erickson’s academic background is in geography and economics made his rise through the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Here are his current duties listed on Penn State’s website, where you can read more fully about him.

In other University service, Dr. Erickson chairs the meetings of the Academic Leadership Council and the Facilities Resources Committee, and he serves on President’s Council and as an ex officio member of the University Faculty Senate and Senate Council. He has been the leader of many task forces in recent years, including the Information Sciences and Technology Strategic Planning Group, the Task Force on Tuition, and the University Cost Savings Task Force.

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About the Author

Dan McCool

Dan is a senior and has been writing for Onward State since January 2010. Did you miss him? Nah, neither did we. He's returning after a semester abroad in England and will be serving as Arts Editor. Favorite things in life include references to The Big Lebowski.