Paternoville to Be Renamed Nittanyville Following Freeh Report Revelations

After the Freeh Report further tarnished the late Joe Paterno's legacy, a group of Penn State students has decided to put any connection to the famed coach behind them. 

Penn State students have made a tradition of camping outside of Beaver Stadium to try and land some coveted rail-side seats for game day. In 2005, this encampment was termed "Paternoville." It will now be called "Nittanyville." 

The news can be found on the official Penn State website.

This encampment became so popular that it grew to a point where it needed management, and that was done by a student-led and officially recognized group. They released the statement announcing the name change and they will now be known as the "Nittanyville Coordination Committee."

Their self-stated mission is to essentially help ensure the encampment is a fun and safe place. They did not take this name change decision lightly and they made a quick and thoughtful decision. Here is part of their explanation for this process, found on the PSU website: 

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This is a decision undertaken by and made solely by the Penn State student officers. Our four major officers, plus our six organizational officers, met via conference call and after careful deliberation decided, by a vote, that moving forward the group will be named Nittanyville.

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Perhaps they should put this committee in charge of all decisions in regards of how to move on from their scandal-ridden era.

While the school's board of trustees continues to delay a decision on what to do with the statue of Paterno sitting outside the stadium, this committee has acted swiftly, and in the process, they are showing the board how to move forward. 

The Nittanyville Coordination Committee is not content with just a name change, they are doing what they can to help ensure the tragic set of circumstances that led to the scandal does not arise again. 

In 2012, students at the encampment are going to donate portions of the proceeds from fundraising efforts to the Center for the Protection of Children. 

NCC vice president Jeff Lowe issued this statement, found on the above linked PSU website. 

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It is important that we continue to do all we can to raise sexual abuse awareness. Not just because of our connections to this scandal as Penn Staters, but because of its importance in our efforts as people to help make the world we live in a better place.

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I applaud the NCC for there efforts. This is the exact kind of action the university needs to start carving out a new legacy.