Strong emotions still course through this community, reflecting the deep investment many folks have in their identity, reputation and accomplishment as Penn Staters. This presents an immense opportunity for the new President.

The Sandusky events struck a deep chord. Much emotional pain, guilt, and embarrassment flowed from what is generally seen as flawed decision making inside Old Main – most critically the decisions in 2002, with varying opinions about later time periods. Folks now appreciate at a gut level that decision making inside Old Main can have major personal consequences, and that it can be a danger to assume that it’s always competent and well-guided. The threshold for political involvement is much lower than before, as evidenced by the healthcare controversy, the pipeline controversy, the childcare controversy, and persistent on-going general interest in University governance and transparency. Folks no longer give the benefit of the doubt to central decision makers. They are energized to participate in decisions and contribute their own small slice of expertise, opinion, and influence. Central decision makers have been put into a position of needing to prove competency in an environment that combines skepticism and hope.

Community members’ efforts to participate risk being perceived by decision makers as inconvenient or misguided meddling. Those perceptions are sometimes accurate, but sometimes fatefully not.

There is a huge energy here that could be harnessed for good. Few communities are so primed for deep change. But if left unrecognized or not channelled productively, these nascent urges towards shared governance will dissipate in frustration, misdirection, and cross-purposes.

It is an open space waiting to be filled by Presidential leadership.

Many directions are possible here. One out-of-the-box possibility came to me recently; since it comes from right field, please give me leave to briefly describe it. Penn State would benefit greatly by finding a new, compelling national profile to replace our current consequences-of-Sandusky media image. With our long history in energy research and development, including fossil fuels, we are ideally placed – as part Nixon-in-China, part Scientist-Engineer, part Jack-of-all-Trades across the whole human condition – to be the lead national university in the decadal world-wide transition to a new energy infrastructure that respects our responsibilities to our neighbors and our children. This is not a small task or a small decision – it will take real resources and real commitment – but it could repay many times in dollars, reputation, and impact. If we really mean it, then this initiative could change the narrative about Penn State, and channel great courses of community energy towards the best possible ends.

Will our new President grasp the opportunity, in this direction or another?