Penn State Scandal: Graham Spanier out at Penn State by End of Day

A source has told the Express-Times that by the end of Wednesday, Graham Spanier will no longer be the president of Penn State. The source, which is reported as being close to the Penn State board of trustees, maintains that he will either resign or be voted out by the board.

The Express Times reports that Executive Vice President and Provost Rodney A. Erickson will likely take over as president on an interim basis as the university conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.

Spanier has fallen under immense heat since grand jury testimony came to light that in 2002 he became aware that a graduate assistant coach witnessed Jerry Sandusky, who at the time of the incident was Penn State's defensive coordinator, allegedly sexually assaulting a boy in the showers of the Penn State locker room.

According to this testimony, Spanier did not share this information with police authorities, and instead signed off on a measure prohibiting Sandusky from bringing children onto the Penn State campus.

Sandusky has since been charged with 40 counts of sexually abusing children.

The fallout from this scandal has led to two Penn State employees (including athletic director Tim Curley) being charged with perjury. Head coach Joe Paterno has announced his retirement, and it now appears that Spanier will be parting ways with the university.

Spanier has served as Penn State president since he succeeded Joab Thomas on September 1st, 1995.