STATE COLLEGE — The head of Penn State’s board of trustees says the board’s recent statement outlining its rationale for ousting football coach Joe Paterno was in response to continued questions from alumni and staff.

Chair Karen Peetz told a meeting of the university Faculty Senate the issue continued to come up during the trustees’ “listening tour” of school constituencies in recent months. She said after some debate, trustees decided to release their statement Monday.

Trustees cited a “failure of leadership” in its ouster of Paterno and school President Graham Spanier in November, days after retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child sex abuse charges.

Peetz also told faculty that trustees were considering making some changes to the board’s organization.