In the wake of the scandal at Penn State, the Big Ten Conference is considering a plan to give its commissioner the power to punish schools with financial sanctions, suspensions and even the ability to fire coaches.

An 18-page plan being circulated among Big Ten leadership raises the possibility of giving Commissioner Jim Delany such authority, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported Thursday. The plan, which the Chronicle posted online, suggests that in certain circumstances requiring “immediate and decisive action,” the commissioner would have unilateral authority to “take any and all actions” in the best interest of the Big Ten.

The league declined comment when contacted by The Associated Press for comment on the plan titled “Standards and Procedures for Safeguarding Institutional Control of Intercollegiate Athletics.”

“It is a working document intended to generate ideas, not draw conclusions,” according to an email sent from Big Ten headquarters to people in the league. “One provision in the document addresses `emergency authority of the commissioner’ - it is just one of many ideas.”

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was recently convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, sometimes on campus. A report commissioned by Penn State said school leaders, including the late coach Joe Paterno, ignored allegations more than a decade ago to avoid bad publicity, allowing Sandusky to prey on other boys for years. Paterno’s family said he never participated in an attempt to cover up wrongdoing.

The NCAA and U.S. Education Department are investigating Penn State for potential rules and policy violations; the issue of “institutional control” is believed to be a key part of the NCAA probe, since problems there can lead to athletic penalties. The Chronicle said the Big Ten is still discussing how to handle fallout from the scandal at one of its member schools; currently, its 12-member Council of Presidents and Chancellors must approve any decision to suspend or expel one of the league’s schools.

Whether Delany would ever be granted the power to fire coaches or punish schools was unknown. The Big Ten email said the council would have to approve such a sweeping change.

Minnesota President Eric Kaler said he doubts that individual schools would be willing to give up control to the conference on such an issue of firing a coach. Still, Kaler said it’s important for Big Ten leaders to sharpen their standards.

“The Penn State situation has highlighted again the vulnerabilities of institutions to bad behavior in their athletic departments,” Kaler said in a phone interview with the AP.

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said the scandal has school presidents and ADs looking at ways to improve oversight and control.

“A lot of things have been discussed, but I have not been party to any conversation that would suggest the commissioner would have unilateral power to fire coaches,” Brandon told the AP. “That’s kind of out of left field, and I don’t think the commissioner would want that kind of power. ”

Illinois Chancellor Phyllis Wise called the Penn State scandal “unprecedented” and wasn’t sure what the Big Ten will do.

“Since the document related to the issue is in draft form, I don’t know what it will say when it’s finalized,” she said.

Illini athletic director Mike Thomas called the proposal “a work in progress.”

“I don’t know the exact language but I know there was some language in there related to personnel matters and consequences, should there be issues.”