Penn State grad launches legal fund

Madison, Wis. – A Penn State University alumnus has launched a legal fund to help pay for efforts to improve transparency at his alma mater.

The Penn State Sunshine Fund will distribute money for legal and lobbying activities with the goal of eliminating the secrecy that persists at Old Main.

The initiative was started by Ryan Bagwell, a 2002 graduate who has been using the Right-to-Know Law to obtain information about how public officials and university trustees reacted to reports of child sexual abuse by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky in November 2011.

In July, he won a key court battle that provided access to records of some university trustees. His legal bills amounted to $15,000.

At least two additional court battles are expected to commence by the end of the year. One involves a number of records between trustee Ken Frazier and former secretary of education Ron Tomalis, the co-chairmen of the committee that oversaw Louis Freeh’s investigation.

Bagwell hopes to raise $50,000 to pay for the court actions.

Individuals can contribute online or by check. For more information, visit http://www.pennstatesunshinefund.org.