Public records in Pa.

A New York Times article on Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson mentioned that the AD wouldn't reveal Sanderson's salary package. Isn't that public info?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/sports/29wrestling.html

 

There was a HUGE shit storm a few years ago about Paterno's salary being made public. Reporters were demanding to know. I don't remember if it ever was revealed or not.

 

I thought it was... The newspapers won.

 

The papers did win and if im not mistaken it turns out paternos salary is like $500K. I remember everyone wondering why it was such a big secret if that's "all" he was making.

As for Sanderson, I don't imagine his salary is too exorbitant. But it had to be something good enough to make him leave his Alma mater at Iowa state and step into the shit storm of PSU wrestling. The main rumor I heard was that they gave him a $1 million signing bonus of sorts to come to Happy Valley, but it was never confirmed. I'm assuming Penn State just want to make another newspaper jump through the hoops of taking the years to have it disclosed.

 

I think Penn State is a state-related school as opposed to a full-on state school. This allows it to exempt itself from the public records act, if I recall correctly (or at least that is what the school has argued in the past)

 

No such thing I understand it. If you receive ANY state funding, you are subject.
The coaches' salary is a public record, as they are an employee of the school.
However, a signing bonus may be paid by a booster group, which is not part of the school system and therefore NOT subject to FOIA's. The records can still be accessed as these entities are non-profit and must file tax returns which are public record.

 

Awat from the salary for a moment I thought it was a fascinating story and one I really enjoyed reading.

Getting kids to buy into a redshirt year? Well, I guess if you are Cael Sanderson.

RHCP: Why "shitstorm?"

 

OK, I don't understand college wrestling.

The kids redshirt, but they can still compete in open tournaments as long as they are unattached.

Now I understand the redshirting a little better.

 

Paterno's salary was released: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2007/11/29/paternos_salary_released_51266.aspx

Basically the court said because his pension came under a state program, his salary was public info, as was anyone else whose salary was under that program.

I believe there is also pending legislation (maybe it was passed, I'm not sure) that would make Penn State's top 25 salaries public information. From my time at PSU, I know university officials cringed at that. Penn State technically is state-related, not a state school, so it's been able to skirt some, but not all, open records law, for better or worse.

Either way, it's not surprising that Penn State is still hiding info. From my experience, it's one of the most secretive universities.

As far as Paterno's salary, he made $512,664 at the time of that article, but that didn't include things like money from apparel and TV deals or other bonuses. So maybe he makes much, much more.

 

Thanks for doing the homework.

You know what would be funny? If newspapers released the salaries of their sports staffers to the public. That would draw some laughs from the readers.

 

Or sympathy.