[ot-caption title=”Above is the photo of a one paragraph essay that a University of North Carolina student-athlete wrote and received an A- on. (via AP Images)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/essay.jpg”]

Earlier this week, it was reported that academic advisers were steering student-athletes “into sham classes” over an eighteen-year period at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Although this does not ensure that any coaches or athletic administrators were directly involved in the scheme, the Tarheels will surely remain in the media for this scandal which is believed to have included over 3,100 university students.

The reports state that academic advisers in the athletic department plotted with a manager in the Afro-American Studies department for the student-athletes to take easier classes. These classes would essentially boost student-athletes’ grade point averages and keep them eligible to play their respective sports.

Athletes were typically allowed to write long essay papers instead of attending class, and would receive a grade of either an A or a B plus.

The newly released report conducted by Kenneth Wainstein, a former federal prosecutor and FBI counsel, consisted of 126 interviews over an eight month period.

“Coaches knew there were easy classes,” states Wainstein, though he notes there is no evidence that any coaches or athletic administrators were aware of the entire situation.

“The intent was really to get to the bottom of what occurred, and I think we did,” UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham says, “but we are in the middle of a joint review and investigation with the NCAA. So this is just one piece of that process, but it was helpful to bring closure to the campus issue.” Cunningham does not want to speculate on how long that investigation will take, but adds that the findings do not prompt a new round of self-sanctions by the school.

With so much evidence behind the investigation, the university’s athletic department will surely receive consequences even though these “sham classes” occurred years ago, just as Penn State University’s Jerry Sandusky case came with heavy punishments.

Source: ESPN