In light of continuing speculation about the role of the NCAA in the review of academic issues in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is providing the following information:
In light of continuing speculation about the role of the NCAA in the review of academic issues in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is providing the following information:
“The University first notified the NCAA that it had identified potential academic issues involving student-athletes in African and Afro-American Studies courses on August 24, 2011. We asked the NCAA to join us in our investigation of these issues, and they agreed to do that. A member of the NCAA enforcement staff traveled to Chapel Hill several times in the fall of 2011 and participated throughout the investigation.
With the NCAA enforcement staff, our internal working group of University Counsel Leslie Strohm, Senior Associate Dean Jonathan Hartlyn, and former faculty athletics representative Jack Evans interviewed faculty and staff in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, academic support counselors, and student-athletes who had taken multiple courses in the department.
Based on the joint review, UNC and the NCAA staff concluded there were no violations of current NCAA rules or student-athlete eligibility issues related to courses in African and Afro-American Studies. As a result, the NCAA did not add any allegations or include this issue during the University’s appearance in October 2011 before the Committee on Infractions.
College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karen Gil subsequently commissioned a review of courses in African and Afro-American Studies. In May, the University publicly issued that report and provided it to the NCAA.
On Aug. 23, 2012, University Counsel Leslie Strohm and Senior Associate Dean Jonathan Hartlyn provided an update to the enforcement staff. The NCAA staff reaffirmed to University officials that no NCAA rules appeared to have been broken.
University officials will continue to keep the NCAA informed as developments warrant.”
Department of Athletics contacts: Steve Kirschner, (919) 962-7258, skirschner@uncaa.unc.edu; Kevin Best, (919) 962-8916, kbest@uncaa.unc.edu