Please sign the petition to support the recommendations put forth in my "Swept Under the PSU Rug Part II - Demotion of Safety Culture in Lab Relocations: from sewage to biohazards, Penn State denies its role in creating unsafe move conditions--from the top-down".

Find Parts I & II of my Swept Under the PSU Rug series at http://www.erlennox.com/blog

I was raised on Penn State, Nittany Lion football, Joe Paterno, all of it. And since coming (and going and coming back a couple of times) to Penn State, I still know how powerful the Nittany Lion and Penn State symbols--and yes, Joe Paterno’s statue--are. I know that to most Penn Staters those symbols still mean integrity, responsibility, and community. That’s why I’m writing this openly; because these symbols that mean so much to so many Penn Staters are being corrupted by a powerful few; Penn State values are not being upheld. And the responsibility thus falls to Penn Staters past, present, and future to speak out against those who erode these symbols, who corrupt the university’s mission and values.

Penn State has become overrun with a liability-centric culture. Penn State won’t take the first step of admitting wrongdoing towards promoting a safety culture because the powerful few running the university have now decided that admitting wrongdoing is a liability. Taking responsibility for one’s actions--right or wrong--is NOT a liability. Responsibility is adulthood. Responsibility is the birthplace of growth and maturity. The role of a leader is not to hold a title, sit in the corner office,  and show up to the groundbreaking ceremonies and press junkets. It’s not to be competitive with or to maintain the status quo. The role of a leader is take responsibility for others while pursuing a greater vision.