STATE COLLEGE, PA--Penn State has retained Edelman and La Torre Communications to support its efforts to deal with the continued fallout from the child sex abuse scandal. 

The university said that the firms will provide corporate communications, media relations and stakeholder engagement support. The assignment is worth $2.5m over the next 12 months.

The Penn State Board of Trustees previously hired Ketchum to provide crisis PR counsel in the immediate aftermath of the scandal becoming public. That engagement has since ended.

The university added that the two retained firms would help ensure broader and more transparent communications with key stakeholders, including current and prospective students, alumni, faculty and staff, parents, local communities, and state and national media.

They will also support the university throughout upcoming litigation.

"Earlier this year, I announced five promises to guide Penn State in recovery from our recent crisis and rebuild trust with the Penn State community," said Penn State president Rodney Erickson. "Retaining these communications firms puts us more firmly on the path toward accountability, openness and preserving our reputation as one of the world’s leading research universities."

The decision was made following a competitive bid presented earlier this month. The firm will report to the university administration and will work in concert with Penn State’s Office of University Relations and public information officers.