Uh oh. More of the same - academic trouble at UNC (SBI Investigating)

[moonpie23]

I am not sure they really understand what trouble they are in.

i don't think they're in ANY trouble....the "punishment" has already come down no matter how much more they find...

[oldnavy]

i don't think they're in ANY trouble....the "punishment" has already come down no matter how much more they find...

I wouldn't be so sure. The SBI being involved and the WolfPack faithful are a bad combination for UNC. UNC has a lot of influence but it would be hard to penetrate the SBI and create a cover up especially with the Wolfies on their heels...

[Indoor66]

I wouldn't be so sure. The SBI being involved and the WolfPack faithful are a bad combination for UNC. UNC has a lot of influence but it would be hard to penetrate the SBI and create a cover up especially with the Wolfies on their heels...

And you know what happens when a wolf meets a sheep.

[moonpie23]

I wouldn't put too much trust in the SBI. they aren't boasting a stellar record of late.

too many lawyers and judges want the "minor indiscretions" at UNC to just go away. the sheep think they've been punished enough.

[Jderf]

I, for one, would like to hear more about Nike's 500K contribution to Prof. N's nonprofit. Have only seen scant references to it on the web.

It seems, at least from outward appearances, to be a quid pro quo.

Just sayin'.

Wow. This post is potentially explosive, but I've heard absolutely nothing about such a "donation." Can't seem to find anything on the interwebs about it either. Anybody care to chime in with some facts/links?

[Duke_92]

Wow. This post is potentially explosive, but I've heard absolutely nothing about such a "donation." Can't seem to find anything on the interwebs about it either. Anybody care to chime in with some facts/links?

I think the reference is to a gift from the Nike Foundation to Carolina for Kibera. I don't think there is anything scandalous here. CFK (http://cfk.unc.edu/) does a lot of good for folks in Kenya. I've been following them for a few years now and I know the charity pretty well (My research specialty is international development). Nyang'oro was (is??) on the board, but Rye Barcott (along with some residents of Kibera) was the force behind getting this organization going.

Was the Nike Foundation being strategic about giving to a UNC based charity? Maybe. At the same time Christopher Elias serves of the boards of the Nike Foundation and the Duke Global Health Institute (http://www.aspenideas.org/speaker/christopher-elias). You could come up with conspiracy theories there, but that would seem like a stretch.

[BD80]

I think the reference is to a gift from the Nike Foundation to Carolina for Kibera. I don't think there is anything scandalous here. CFK (http://cfk.unc.edu/) does a lot of good for folks in Kenya. I've been following them for a few years now and I know the charity pretty well (My research specialty is international development). Nyang'oro was (is??) on the board, but Rye Barcott (along with some residents of Kibera) was the force behind getting this organization going.

Was the Nike Foundation being strategic about giving to a UNC based charity? Maybe. At the same time Christopher Elias serves of the boards of the Nike Foundation and the Duke Global Health Institute (http://www.aspenideas.org/speaker/christopher-elias). You could come up with conspiracy theories there, but that would seem like a stretch.

One should always stretch before leaping ...

[devilish]

This thing just will not go away... http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/...linked-to.html


Funny that N&O gives partial credit to State fans for keeping the heat on the University.

One of the funnier comments..."A comprehensive, independent investigation is required; it should be led by two distinguished UNC Law School alumni, both with impecible records for superior ethics and integrity: John Edwards and Mike Nifong."

[PackMan97]

JPScott over at PackPride found this gem from 2010 before the "Football" scandal blew up. Let me quote parts of page 5.

http://www.indystar.com/article/2010...yers-graduate-

Simply put, clustering is when a high percentage of teammates receive the same degree. Among North Carolina's graduates, communications and Afro-American and African studies stand out as the majors of choice.

From the 2005 team, all seven Tar Heels who graduated had the same major -- Afro-American and African studies.

That includes Sean May of the Sacramento Kings, the Bloomington prep star and son of former IU star Scott May. Sean May entered the NBA after three years in college, capped by an NCAA title in 2005. He graduated last summer.

May said he started as a double major with communications, but dropped it so he could graduate faster after leaving for the NBA.

Afro-American and African studies, May said, offered "more independent electives, independent study. I could take a lot of classes during the season. Communications, I had to be there in the actual classroom. We just made sure all the classes I had to take, I could take during the summer."

[moonpie23]

so, maybe the 05 AND the 09 title?



wow...drinks will REALLY be on me if those are vacated....



dig wuffies, dig!!!!

[davekay1971]

so, maybe the 05 AND the 09 title?



wow...drinks will REALLY be on me if those are vacated....



dig wuffies, dig!!!!

UNC will still hang the banners, right next to the 3 legitimate natties and the Helms Award. They'll just micro stitch "Later Vacated" along the bottom corner.

[diablesseblu]

The "Indy Star" article has some fascinating (and new to me) info. All seven players of the 2005 championship team majored in AAS.

So, they were tracked towards a major where they could take mostly summer courses, apparently many of which did not involve having to attend class? (What a recruiting tool!)

UNC's response:

"John Blanchard, senior associate athletic director at North Carolina, said it's reasonable that people in a peer group might gravitate to the same major. He said clustering "just doesn't bother us here."

"The question is whether they are getting a good education," he said, "and the answer is a resounding yes."

Sounds to me like they ought to be more "bothered" than they apparently are. What a "Carolina Way" money quote.

[killerleft]

JPScott over at PackPride found this gem from 2010 before the "Football" scandal blew up. Let me quote parts of page 5.

http://www.indystar.com/article/2010...yers-graduate-

Scott May:
"We just made sure all the classes I had to take, I could take during the summer."

That's an ouchie in Chapaheeya, for sure. I'm sure the questions that quote brings up have been asked already. I wonder what the answers were, and if the standard UNC basketball graduate completed most work toward graduating (or just staying eligible to play ball) through this method.

Most online degree classes (if my wife's Master's experience is standard, anyway) have a fair amount of group participation and conversations with the profs. It certainly looks as if Kaplan University sets much higher standards than UNC does. I've done a fair amount of idependent study, maybe I could become a Doctor of Thinkology, the Carolina Way.

[MCFinARL]

The "Indy Star" article has some fascinating (and new to me) info. All seven players of the 2005 championship team majored in AAS.

So, they were tracked towards a major where they could take mostly summer courses, apparently many of which did not involve having to attend class? (What a recruiting tool!)

UNC's response:

"John Blanchard, senior associate athletic director at North Carolina, said it's reasonable that people in a peer group might gravitate to the same major. He said clustering "just doesn't bother us here."

"The question is whether they are getting a good education," he said, "and the answer is a resounding yes."

Sounds to me like they ought to be more "bothered" than they apparently are. What a "Carolina Way" money quote.

Well, to be fair here, I think May's comments about independent study and summer courses were focused on completing his degree later, while in the NBA, not on when he was at UNC. While obviously some significant questions have been raised about what has been going on in the Af-Am Studies Department at UNC, the fact by itself that a university department would be willing to accommodate a professional athlete who wanted to complete his degree with a combination of summer study and independent study during the season doesn't necessarily raise a red flag--it all depends on the content of those courses. It seems likely, for example, that Kyrie Irving will need to put together something similar if he hopes to keep his promise to his Dad to get his degree within 5 years of leaving school for the NBA.

[BD80]

JPScott over at PackPride found this gem from 2010 before the "Football" scandal blew up. Let me quote parts of page 5.

... May said he started as a double major with communications, but dropped it so he could graduate faster after leaving for the NBA.

Afro-American and African studies, May said, offered "more independent electives, independent study. I could take a lot of classes during the season. Communications, I had to be there in the actual classroom. We just made sure all the classes I had to take, I could take during the summer."

http://www.indystar.com/article/2010...yers-graduate-

I am amused that he felt he actually had to attend class. Sounds like there was a failure to communicate ...

[wilko]

I think the Pack is doing a great job of making the Heel faithful squirm. I enjoy the fruits of their labor as much as anyone.
Their dogged (pun intended) pursuit of this is commendable.

But really ... if they cant build themselves up; has the mission become to tear down others?

I'd like to think they would be satisfied with imploding UNC. But, it occurs to me we may next...
Anyone else share this concern?

[roywhite]

I think the Pack is doing a great job of making the Heel faithful squirm. I enjoy the fruits of their labor as much as anyone.
Their dogged (pun intended) pursuit of this is commendable.

But really ... if they cant build themselves up; has the mission become to tear down others?

I'd like to think they would be satisfied with imploding UNC. But, it occurs to me we may next...
Anyone else share this concern?

No, I think NC State has far greater enmity toward the Heels than toward us Blue Devils.
NC State vs UNC is not quite the Hatfields and McCoys, but there is some real animosity, whereas Duke and NC State is more a rivalry than a feud.

Just my .02 from living in these parts, and having some family members of both the ram and lupine persuasion.

[PackMan97]

I'd like to think they would be satisfied with imploding UNC. But, it occurs to me we may next...
Anyone else share this concern?

Just beat Carolina often enough and we'll be BFFs to the end.

It's pretty clear that Duke has active checks and balances in place to make sure that students go to class, do the work and don't cheat. See Greg Newton. Until this scandal broke have you EVER heard of a Carolina basketball player get into academic trouble?

Duke athletes don't graduate at a significantly higher rate than non-athletes. I believe that black basketball and football players have SIGNIFICANTLY higher graduation rate than black non-athletes at Carolina..and that's saying a lot when your school wide graduation rate is quite high. IIRC, the the difference is in the mid 20%'s (as in 65% rate for black non-athletes vs 88% for football and 91% for basketball vs high 80's for all students).

In addition, I've heard some UNC athletes that sound like they could barely read a children's book...I've very rarely (if ever) felt the same way about a Duke athlete.

In closing, I think many (most) State fans don't feel the same hatred toward Duke because our gripe with you guys is with regards to on the court success (or lack thereof). With UNC-CH it goes so much deeper. It's like oil and vinegar, yin and yang, black and white, ultra-liberal vs practical conservative, tree hugging vs bricks and mortar, it's about the Carolina Way being a complete fraud and hearing about amphibious jokes for the past 25 years and being told if "you can't go to college go to state".

So relax, we don't have a target on you guys...after all we know that K is getting up in the years and we'll just let father time take care of our problem

[chrishoke]

I think the Pack is doing a great job of making the Heel faithful squirm. I enjoy the fruits of their labor as much as anyone.
Their dogged (pun intended) pursuit of this is commendable.

But really ... if they cant build themselves up; has the mission become to tear down others?

I'd like to think they would be satisfied with imploding UNC. But, it occurs to me we may next...
Anyone else share this concern?

Why should we be worried? We are not cheating and covering up like the Heels. If we were, we would deserve their venom and I would join them.

[wilko]

Just beat Carolina often enough and we'll be BFFs to the end.

I hope we can live up to that..

So relax, we don't have a target on you guys...after all we know that K is getting up in the years and we'll just let father time take care of our problem

Didnt you watch "Dollhouse"? That was an R&D project from DUMC. We are growing a clone to upload his brain into as we speak..