University Park, Pa.
Pennsylvania State University's Board of Trustees has not formally voted, but Graham B. Spanier's presidency is likely to end within the next 24 hours, a board member told The Chronicle on Wednesday, as a result of the sex-abuse scandal that has engulfed the university this week.
The board plans to meet in a private session on Thursday to discuss Mr. Spanier's fate, but strong opposition could force the president to step down before then, the source said.
Penn State Scandal: Read Complete Chronicle Coverage
"Graham's smart. My guess is he'll negotiate his way right out this," said the trustee, who asked to remain anonymous because the board has not acted. "If I'm him and I get a sense of things going south, I say, 'Let me get out of here with my head connected to my shoulders and with grace.' He's not going to battle it out."
If Mr. Spanier does not step down before Thursday, the board will hear arguments on both sides. If the current opposition to the president remains as strong as it is now, the board member said, "it's over."
Mr. Spanier and his chief spokesman have not responded to repeated requests for comment from The Chronicle, apparently at the behest of trustees, who are said to have ordered the president not to talk to reporters.
