SIU's Chancellor appointed by NCAA to Penn State Task Force | News

CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS)- SIU Chancellor Rita Cheng says she hopes her role on the NCAA task force will help the victims of child sexual abuse.

Cheng is one of 10 people appointed by the NCAA who will set guidelines for doling out $60 million in fines Penn State has been ordered to pay.

The NCAA imposed tough sanctions on Penn State over its handling of sex-abuse allegations against assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Sandusky has been convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys over a period of 15 years.

Penn State will pay $12 million over five years, and Cheng says it will be the job of the task force to make sure none of that money is wasted.

"It was such a tragedy and I think our hearts just went out to all the victims," Cheng said. "This may be a way to have something good happen from an awful, awful circumstance."

Cheng says her background in finance will help the 10 person team create an endowment to fund programs to prevent child abuse and help victims recover.

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