Academic Fraud At UNC [Archive] - Professional Soldiers ®

Richard

10-23-2014, 07:52

I doubt it is just UNC - this could get messy...

Richard

Probe Reveals Scope Of Academic Fraud At UNC
AP, 22 Oct 2014

More than 3,100 students - nearly half of them athletes - enrolled in classes they didn't have to show up for and received artificially inflated grades in what an investigator called a ''shadow curriculum'' that lasted nearly two decades at the University of North Carolina.

(Cont'd) http://sports.yahoo.com/news/probe-reveals-scope-academic-fraud-unc-170930676--spt.html

Snaquebite

10-23-2014, 08:55

The report outlined courses in the former African and Afro-American Studies department that required only a research paper that was often scanned quickly and given an A or B regardless of the quality of work.

I would like to see the ethnical breakdown of course students.

Golf1echo

10-23-2014, 09:09

Several of the last NFL post game interviews were astounding :eek:

Pete

10-23-2014, 09:16

The FayOb has a bunch more information.

UNC academic fraud probe shows 3,100 students involved in 'shadow curriculum'

http://www.fayobserver.com/unc-academic-fraud-probe-shows-students-involved-in-shadow-curriculum/article_58e0ba11-ca01-5298-a5b1-af98b77b9d5f.html

"...Of the student-athlete enrollments in the paper classes, 50.9 percent were football players, 30.6 percent were Olympic and other sport athletes, 12.2 percent were men’s basketball players and 6.1 percent were women’s basketball players. The report said a “good number” of student-athletes were steered to the classes by certain academic counselors from the Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes because GPA boosts would help the athletes maintain their eligibility...."

I would assume the 3,100 went on to earn degrees? Ah, think any of the degrees will be pulled?

The Reaper

10-23-2014, 09:17

The majority of the "paper courses" that UNC student athletes didn't have to attend were Africian and Afro-Centric Studies classes.

Good grades (As) were awarded basically without attendance or course work being required.

Any papers for other courses were written for the students by tutors and other outsiders.

Virtually all of the student athletes in this program were black. Assuming they were able to complete their degrees, what do they do with them? Is this taking care of the student athletes and seeing to their welfare?

The investigation has determined that the coaches were unaware of this over the past 18 years or so. That was one well-kept secret.

I expect UNC to skate through this huge scandal with little to no punishment, as they consider themselves to be the flagship program of North Carolina athletics and their many fans would agree.

Win at any cost. Rules are for losers.

What a great message to send our youth. :rolleyes:

TR

SF-TX

10-23-2014, 09:43

On the other hand, a 'well-spoken' educated quarterback is apparently not considered 'black enough' by his teammates.

"My feeling on this—and it's backed up by several interviews with Seahawks players—is that some of the black players think Wilson isn't black enough," reports Mike Freeman at Bleacher Report. Say what?

"Well-spoken blacks are seen by some other blacks as not completely black," Freeman continues. "Some of this is at play."

Wilson, the son of a lawyer and grandson of a college president, served as his senior class president in high school, graduated from NC State in three years, and regularly tweets Bible verses to his online followers.

Link (http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2014/10/23/Seahawks-Players-Question-Russell-Wilson)

Pete

10-23-2014, 09:45

I forget the school but it was one of the big B-Ball colleges in NC.

Late 80's I had the radio on and was working on a shed in the back yard. News story came up that a star B-Ball player had dropped below his academic average and had to take a summer class to bring it up. He needed an A and the class was Art Appreciation.

No hint of the possibility that he would get less than the required A.

DIYPatriot

10-23-2014, 10:15

I doubt it is just UNC - this could get messy...

For my undergrad, I attended a school that was known for engineering and other applied sciences - not athletics. At the time, our football and basketball programs were in Division II. One of the ways I paid for books or other school-related fees was to work as a tutor to the athletes on scholarship. Some of them were sharp individuals and didn't require much assistance. The ones that did, though, were the ones that I worked with the most.

When a student athlete was on the verge of dropping below the fine line of playing ball or losing it all, they were sent to a special area where they could take their exams with the assistance of another tutor. Some were given the option of taking oral exams and presenting their knowledge to the grader. This was often a subjective ask and answer session with the grader saying things such as, "What I heard you say was xxxxxx, but what I think you meant to say was yyyyyy. Isn't that correct? Ok. Good. You got that one correct."

It disgusted me to be in the same engineering programs with some of these so-called student athletes that made the dean's list while I had to work my ass off to do the same. They would openly joke about not having to study or do anything of that sort.

This was at a D-II school where ESPN, bowl games, sponsors, money, etc weren't exactly flooding the campus on Saturdays. I can't imagine how bad it is at the larger schools. After one semester, I resigned my position as a tutor and paid for my books by washing cars in the university motor pool. I couldn't stand to see the cheating and wanted absolutely no part of it.

rubberneck

10-23-2014, 10:50

We'll see if they skate on this but the issue has been well known for years.

Essay that netted a UNC hoops player a A-.

http://mashable.com/2014/03/28/rosa-parks-146-word-essay/

Julius Peppers UNC transcript.

http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/11/2012/08/peppers_trans_2.png

If I'm an Alum I might consider a lawsuit against the University. The existence of sham classes calls into question the quality of the degree issued by the University.

Sigaba

10-23-2014, 11:21

VVVV

10-23-2014, 12:17

I would be very surprised if this were actually true.

Regular sightings of large groups of athletes being herded across campus to their classes by athletic staff cronies are among my most vivid memories of undergrad.

I can see it happening with out coaching staff knowledge. My wife is an administrator and student advisor at a major university. She has helped the Associate Athletic Directors for Academic Services/Student Athlete Advancement, and I have toured their academic facilities, and met many of the people whose job is working with student/athletes. Coaching staffs have little to nothing to do with a player's academics.

IMO..Phoney classes would require collusion/knowledge of many individuals to create and carry out. None of which would fall under the purview of the coaching staff.

Your "regular sightings" sounds like something from the dark ages.:rolleyes:

rubberneck

10-23-2014, 15:57

MOO, the report makes clear how and why the Powers That Be at UNC were unaware of the scope of this scandal. The report's findings are considerably more nuanced than the journalist accounts circulating in the blogosphere.

http://3qh929iorux3fdpl532k03kg.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/UNC-FINAL-REPORT.pdf

Define administration. The athletic department has known of the accusations for at least three years if not much longer. Several academic support personnel have resigned in protest over the issue. It's impossible that the athletic director was unaware of the issue, and as far as I'm concerned the athletic department is part of the schools administration.

Richard

10-23-2014, 16:16

When it comes to student athletes and needed grades, well "there's gold in them thar prairie foothills"...or at Western Oklahoma State College, anyways, and some others.

“You’ve probably never heard of Western Oklahoma State College,” Brad Wolverton wrote. “But call almost any major athletics department, and staff there know it well.” When their athletes have failed a class or are short on credits, they go to Western Oklahoma State College, located in Altus, Oklahoma, which “gives them a chance, offering three credits in two weeks—and for less than $400,"...

http://thislandpress.com/roundups/western-oklahoma-where-failing-student-athletes-find-academic-reprieve/#sthash.YSVdOiSg.dpuf

And so it goes...

Richard

VVVV

10-23-2014, 16:57

Western Okie's was put on probation back in 2013.

http://www.wosc.edu/index.php?page=accreditation

cedsall

10-23-2014, 17:00

Rocks for Jocks (Geology 101). This isn't new.

My sons played basketball with a kid who was the top ranked 5th grade basketball player in the nation (private schools so they had him on the varsity team in the sixth grade). I didn't even know they ranked 5th graders until I talked with his dad. We got to know the family pretty well and followed his career. He ended up playing ball for UNC, left in his junior year to play pro ball. This kid lived and breathed basketball. I think he was an OK student but from the time he was 10 years old, his target was to play professional basketball.

I get it, they're coasting their way through college and if they don't get a pro career, hopefully their college degree will be worth something and get them a job. And the collective consciousness is now (again) figuring out that they don't give a crap about college courses. But for folks like the kid above, college ball is just a ticket to be punched on the way to pro ball.

Maybe the problem is having to play college ball (or whatever sport) in order to get into the pros.

The Reaper

10-23-2014, 17:16

Maybe the problem is having to play college ball (or whatever sport) in order to get into the pros.

You don't, if you are good enough.

TR

rubberneck

10-23-2014, 18:36

You don't, if you are good enough.

TR

Both the NBA and the NFL won't allow it's members to draft or sign a player out of HS. The NBA has a one year window from the time you graduate HS until your eligible to play in the league and the NFL's is three. Basketball players can play in the d league or Europe for a year if they want but there really is no avenue for football players.

Richard

10-23-2014, 18:45

Both the NBA and the NFL won't allow it's members to draft or sign a player out of HS. The NBA has a one year window from the time you graduate HS until your eligible to play in the league and the NFL's is three. Basketball players can play in the d league or Europe for a year if they want but there really is no avenue for football players.

So what about Lebron James...?

Richard

rubberneck

10-23-2014, 19:00

So what about Lebron James...?

Richard

They put the rule in place in 2006.

Pete

11-26-2014, 04:41

UNC identifies one disciplined employee in grade fraud investigation

http://www.fayobserver.com/news/state/unc-identifies-one-disciplined-employee-in-grade-fraud-investigation/article_66411f8e-5a79-552b-8450-5828a892ecca.html

"...The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill responded to a public records request with a document showing that Jaimie Lee lost her $39,000-a-year academic counseling job the same day the report was published last month....."

The Reaper

11-26-2014, 09:24

Looks like UNC found a low-level scapegoat.

No one in a position of leadership, to include coaches, will be held accountable.

Ignore the man behind the curtain....

TR

VVVV

11-26-2014, 13:05

I believe that more heads will roll, the process requires more time. It's extremely unlikely that a coach could have created a phoney class.

booker

12-22-2014, 10:13

I believe that more heads will roll, the process requires more time. It's extremely unlikely that a coach could have created a phoney class.

IMHO that is irrelevant, the university as a whole is at fault. Wins should be vacated for this, and it goes all the way back to the Dean Smith era. If you (the coach) have an athlete that barely gets into the program due to insufficient grades, reading comprehension, etc., and then they excel at a school such as UNC, and you don't ask any questions, then it's all about plausible deniability. It's one thing for it to happen at Auburn or Western Illinois (just 2 examples, if anyone went to these schools don't freak out), but UNC isn't a slouch school (in some areas). If I were an alum I would be pretty pissed about all this. Of course NC State alumni are laughing pretty good right now, as are Duke, mostly because they haven't been caught yet.

Sad part is the person in charge of investigating this stuff at the NCAA level is from UNC's athletic program administration, and was in power during the "alleged" period of infraction(s). Given that the system is broken, this is just going to be another footnote in a long list of issues that have happened and will continue to happen. When you take kids that are good/great athletes but poor academics, you are running a fine line in terms of academic risk. Why do you think there are "University Studies" majors now? Most of these kids won't make it in the professional leagues, and will be stuck with a degree that doesn't mean a damn thing, and no real knowledge to use from those years of "studying". Hell, if they took a sports statistics course they would know only about 1% of all college athletes make it professionally.

Richard

12-22-2014, 13:01

Somewhat off topic, but not too far and interesting to ponder.

Richard

Here’s the New Way Colleges Are Predicting Student Grades
Time, 10 Dec 2014

For years, Stephanie Dupaul would jokingly consult her collection of Magic 8 Balls when students asked her questions such as, “Will I get an A in that class?” Now, she can give them an answer far more accurate than anything predicted by a toy fortune-teller.

Dupaul, the associate provost for enrollment management at Southern Methodist University, is one of a growing number of university administrators consulting the performance data of former students to predict the outcomes of current ones. The little-known effort is being quietly employed by about 125 schools around the U.S., and often includes combing years of data covering millions of grades earned by thousands of former students.

It’s the same kind of process tech behemoths like Amazon and Google employ to predict the buying behavior of consumers. And many of the universities and colleges that are applying it have seen impressive declines in the number of students who drop out, and increases in the proportion who graduate.

(Cont'd) http://time.com/3621228/college-data-tracking-graduation-rates/?xid=newsletter-brief#3621228/college-data-tracking-graduation-rates/

Pete

12-22-2014, 13:23

The meat of it...

"...It works by identifying risk patterns that can help catch students before they fall. For example, Georgia State’s data shows that students’ grades in the first course in their majors can predict whether or not they will graduate. Eighty-five percent of political science majors who get an A or B will earn degrees, but only 25% of those who score a C or lower will.

“What we used to do, and what other universities do, is let the C student go along until it was too late to help them,” says Timothy Renick, Georgia State’s vice president for enrollment management and student success. “Now we have a flag that goes off as soon as we spot a C in the first course.”..."

Pete

01-23-2015, 06:25

2 ex-UNC athletes sue school, NCAA over academic failures

http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/college_sports/ex-unc-athletes-sue-school-ncaa-over-academic-failures/article_6b74e940-3a1a-5ab2-a7aa-9cf083a14caf.html

"DURHAM, N.C.- Two former University of North Carolina athletes have filed a lawsuit against the school and the NCAA, saying neither has done enough to ensure athletes receive a quality education...."

&

"...“Instead, the NCAA sat idly by, permitting big-time college sports programs to operate as diploma mills that compromise educational opportunities and the future job prospects of student-athletes for the sake of wins and revenues,” the lawsuit states...."

PedOncoDoc

01-23-2015, 06:39

Pete

06-05-2015, 05:20

NCAA hits UNC with 5 violations in wake of academic scandal

http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/ncaa-hits-unc-with-violations-in-wake-of-academic-scandal/article_1c3b8eca-6365-517e-9a49-d558f6d07953.html

"North Carolina’s long-running academic fraud scandal now includes five NCAA charges, including a lack of institutional control for poor oversight of an academic department popular with athletes and the counselors who advised them.

The school released a 59-page notice of allegations Thursday from the NCAA, which uses the document to specify violations uncovered during an investigation. The charges were more broad-based than focused on individual sports, with the NCAA regarding academic irregularities in the formerly named African and Afro-American (AFAM) Studies department as potential improper benefits by saying athletes received access to courses and other assistance generally unavailable to non-athletes....."