Feds look to see if Penn St. violated law

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- Penn State officials are under scrutiny to determine if they violated a federal law by not reporting a former football assistant coach's alleged child abuse.

The U.S. Department of Education planned to start its investigation Monday into whether university officials violated the Clery Act, which requires universities to disclose campus crimes, among other things, the Philadelphia Daily News reported.

"We are making every effort to provide the review team with immediate access to all requested records and information sources pertaining to all aspects of Clery Act compliance," Penn State President Rodney Erickson said in a weekend news release.

U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-Pa., called for the investigation after former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with abusing eight boys during a 15-year period. Meehan said the university's failure to report an allegation that Sandusky raped a boy in a locker room shower in 2002 appears to violate the Clery Act.

Erickson said the Education Department's notification contained a "long list of information" the review team needed and university officials at the State College, Pa., institution "have been busy gathering as much of that information in advance of their visit as possible."

Sandusky was charged with 40 counts related to the alleged sexual abuse of eight boys.

The New York Times reported at least 11 alleged victims of Sandusky's abuse likely will file civil lawsuits against The Second Mile, a charity Sandusky founded in 1977.

Penn State police received a letter from another person who says he was "possibly assaulted" by Sandusky, the university's newspaper, the Centre Daily Times, reported Sunday. Police said they received the letter, sent from a man jailed in Oklahoma, Friday and forwarded to the state attorney general's office.