The famous bronze statue of legendary head football coach Joe Paterno, which stood proudly outside the northeast side of Beaver Stadium for over a decade, was permanently removed by university administrators in July 2012. In the wake of the devastating Freeh Report detailing institutional failures surrounding the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal, university leadership determined that the monument had unfortunately become a source of profound division and an obstacle to healing, prompting its stealthy overnight removal and secure storage away from public view.