Story highlights
Graham Spanier is on the board of the Naval Postgraduate School in California
A senior Navy official says the Navy is looking at dropping him
The board provides guidance on the school's education and research programs
The Navy is reviewing whether fired Penn State President Graham Spanier will remain as a member of the board of advisors at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, CNN has learned.
The Navy so far is not speaking publicly on the matter, but a senior Navy official told CNN that “based on the events this week at Penn State, Navy officials are reviewing Spanier’s role on the board.”
The official, who has direct knowledge of the Navy deliberations, indicated the Navy takes seriously that he was fired at the university because of the alleged sex abuse scandal and it’s likely Spanier will not continue on the Navy board.
The Naval Postgraduate School board of advisors is an 18-member federal advisory committee. Members are nominated to four-year terms, the official said.
He also said a renomination recommendation for Spanier had already been in the works. That recommendation is likely to be pulled back, the official said.
The board provides guidance on the school’s education and research programs. It includes defense, academic and industry leaders and reports to the secretary of the Navy, the chief of naval operations, and the commandant of the Marine Corps.
Because of the federal holiday, CNN was unable to reach a spokesman at the school for comment.