Barron era begins amid challenges for Penn State

    Eric Barron, hired this week to be Penn State’s next president, is kicking off his tenure by expressing a desire to strengthen the institution and listen to the people who work there and care about it.

    He says he’ll start by educating himself about conditions at the university where he worked as a professor and dean for 20 years. The fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal, and what to do about Joe Paterno’s legacy there, will be high on the list of topics.

    As he prepares to take over by mid-May, Barron can expect to hear from students, alumni, employees and Nittany Lions football fans. In the near term, Barron says, he will focus on listening.

    Barron has been president at Florida State. He was named this week to lead Penn State.

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal