Syracuse NCAA Report

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
PUBLIC INFRACTIONS DECISION

MARCH 6, 2015
I.
INTRODUCTION
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions is an independent administrative body of
the NCAA comprised of individuals from the NCAA Division I membership and the
public that is charged with deciding infractions cases involving member institutions and
their staffs. 1 This case involved Syracuse University. 2 It also involved the institution's
head men's basketball coach, five former institutional staff members and a representative
of the institution's athletics interest. Each of the individuals were "at risk" for their
involvement in alleged violations of NCAA bylaws. The panel concluded violations of
NCAA legislation occurred and prescribed appropriate penalties in this case under former
NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2, the more lenient penalty structure.
Over the course of a decade, the institution set in motion or otherwise permitted
institutional staff and persons associated with its athletics programs to engage in conduct
contrary to established NCAA bylaws and institutional rules and procedures. The
violations in this case centered around the institution's men's basketball program, its
student-athletes and staff. To a lesser extent, violations involved the institution's football
program and football student-athletes.
The institution discovered and self-reported violations dating back to 2001. These
violations included academic fraud, instances of extra benefits, the institution's failure to
follow its written drug policy, impermissible activities surrounding the conduct of a
representative of the institution's athletics interest and student-athletes' involvement in
promotional activities and outside competition. In total, the self-reported and agreedupon violations made up 10 of the 14 allegations in this case. The other four violations
included academic extra benefits, the institution's failure to follow its written drug testing
policy, the head basketball coach's failure to promote an atmosphere of compliance and
Infractions cases are decided by hearing panels comprised of NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions members. Decisions
issued by hearing panels are made on behalf of the Committee on Infractions. Pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 19.3.3, a six-member
panel considered this case.
2
The institution is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and has an approximate enrollment of 14,000. The
institution sponsors eight men's sports and 12 women's sports. This is the institution's second infractions case. Previously, the
institution had an infractions case in 1992 (men's and women's basketball, football, wrestling and men's lacrosse).
Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

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monitor his staff and and the institution's lack of control over its athletics program. 3 The
case also involved a former staff member's failure to cooperate with the NCAA
enforcement staff's investigation. The institution acknowledged and the panel concluded
that violations occurred. Unfortunately, the life of this case has been lengthy. The
institution's and the enforcement staff's investigation spanned four years, and the need for
the institution to complete academic processes on campus, extensions requests and
legislative interpretation processes further delayed final resolution of the case. A key
indicator of an effective process is timely resolution, which did not occur in this case.
The institution failed to control and monitor athletics and academic initiatives it set in
motion ultimately resulting in extensive academic misconduct, including four instances
of academic fraud and three instances in which student-athletes received academic extra
benefits. The institution also encouraged student-athletes' and staffs' relationships with a
known representative of the institution's athletics interest without ensuring that those
relationships continued to comply with NCAA requirements. The institution did not have
adequate controls in place and functioning, with the result being a series of violations
spanning in excess of 10 years.
Further, the institution's head basketball coach failed to promote an atmosphere for
compliance and monitor his staff. In particular, he failed to promote an atmosphere for
compliance because his student-athletes and staff did not understand applicable NCAA
legislation or engaged in conduct that violated NCAA legislation. He failed to monitor
the director of basketball operations who committed academic violations after being
hired by the head basketball coach to address academic concerns within his program.
The duration and nature of violations in this case required strong penalties beyond what
the institution self-imposed. Improper institutional involvement and influence in a
student-athlete's academic work in order to gain or maintain eligibility is a violation of
NCAA rules and a violation of the most fundamental core values of the NCAA and
higher education. The behavior in this case, which placed the desire to achieve success
on the basketball court over academic integrity, demonstrated clearly misplaced
institutional priorities. Similarly, many of the violations occurred as a result of persons
of leadership engaging in or condoning conduct that was contrary to the NCAA
Constitution and bylaws.
Because the violations in this case straddled the implementation of the new penalty
structure, the institution was entitled to the more lenient penalty structure. The panel
conducted a penalty analysis under both the current and former penalty structures and
determined former NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2 provided the more lenient penalties. In
accordance with former NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2, the panel prescribed a five-year
probationary period; a financial penalty; three scholarship reductions per year over a
four-year period in men's basketball; the panel accepted the institution's post-hearing self3
The institution originally self-reported that it did not follow its written drug testing policy; however, the institution later
challenged the alleged violations in its response and at the hearing.

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imposed one-year postseason ban in men's basketball; a vacation of victories in which

ineligible student-athletes participated; a nine-game suspension from conference games
for the head basketball coach; two-years of recruiting restrictions in men's basketball and
other appropriate and standard administrative penalties as detailed in the penalty section
of this decision.
II.
CASE HISTORY
In Appendix One, the panel has provided a comprehensive, chronological case history in
order to document procedural matters and the length of this case. Specifically, it
identifies the events that triggered the underlying investigation, the procedural documents
and the numerous correspondences between the parties and the chief hearing officer.
III.
FINDINGS OF FACT
The Head Men's Basketball Coach
The head men's basketball coach, ("the head basketball coach") began his tenure at the
institution in 1962, when he walked on to the men's basketball team. Upon graduating in
1966, the head basketball coach served as a graduate assistant and an assistant coach until
1977, when he became head basketball coach. Over the past three decades, the head
basketball coach's program has experienced significant success, making 31 NCAA
Tournaments, including four Final Four appearances and posting 35 twenty-win seasons.
And in 2003, the institution won the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship
Game.
During his successful career, the head basketball coach reported that he has interacted
with athletics compliance. Since 1992, the head basketball coach and his staff
participated in regular meetings with the institution's compliance staff and, at the
conclusion of those meetings, the head basketball coach and his staff took quizzes
regarding the covered information. The head basketball coach assigned two staff
members, a former assistant men's basketball coach and the director of basketball
operations ("director of basketball operations"), to serve as staff liaisons to the
compliance office. In his response, the head basketball coach indicated that he
encouraged his staff to reach out to compliance on smaller questions or issues, but
required all major issues to be reported to him. The head basketball coach also reported
that his student-athletes attended bi-annual compliance meetings. In its response, the
institution reported that it "has been, and remains, fully committed to a vigorous, best-inclass compliance function."

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The Part-Time Tutor and a Representative of the Institution's Athletics Interests

Like the head basketball coach, a part-time tutor ("part-time tutor") and a representative
of the institution's athletics interest ("the representative") are part of this infractions case
and began their relationships with the institution decades ago. The two are long-time
acquaintances and natives of Oneida, New York, a town approximately 30 miles from the
institution. Both worked very closely with coaches and student-athletes in the
institution's sport programs the part-time tutor since the late 1980s, and the
representative since the mid-1990s. Both were closely involved in the program and their
initial engagement seemed well intentioned and may have very well continued to be until
their disassociation in 2007.
According to the part-time tutor, his relationship with the institution developed when he
began working with a learning disability advocacy organization in New York. In that
capacity, he met the former athletics learning specialist in 1989. The former athletics
learning specialist requested the part-time tutor make a presentation at the institution to a
group of student-athletes about learning differences and success strategies.
Coincidentally, on the day of the presentation, a member of the academic support
services staff resigned, and the institution hired him as a part-time tutor or computer lab
monitor to assist student-athletes with writing papers and organization skills. The
institution provided the part-time tutor with an orientation and initial trainings; however,
at the hearing, the part-time tutor acknowledged that he did not receive any further rules
education. Initially, he worked at the institution in the evenings, Sunday through
Thursday. Thereafter, around 2000, the part-time tutor's role expanded, and the
institution designated him as a mentor, in addition to a tutor, for the football program.
The part-time tutor explained that as a mentor he met with student-athletes who the
institution had defined as "needing additional academic assistance". He discussed with
them their problems, such as adjusting to campus life. The part-time tutor worked as a
part-time tutor and/or mentor from 1989 to 2007. Although he worked fewer days per
week towards the end, the part-time tutor stated that he remained affiliated with the
institution for 18 years because he "honestly loved" the position.
The part-time tutor's relationship and affiliation with the institution continued to develop
as his career path changed and led him to the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley in 1995.
At that time and currently, the Tri-Valley YMCA consisted of three branches located in
Oneida, New Hartford and Rome. The part-time tutor hired the representative in 1996 to
coordinate youth sports programming at the Oneida branch. There, the representative
reported to the health and fitness director. He did not report directly to the part-time
tutor.
The representative worked as a full-time state government employee. He worked at the
YMCA on a part-time basis for approximately 11 years. He had a background in
organized sports, dating back to the time he was a student-athlete in the late 1970s and

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early 1980s. The representative's involvement in a variety of organized sports continued

through the 1990s. At different times over approximately a 10-year period, he performed
various functions. For example, he founded a regional basketball tournament and
assisted with the operations of sports camps and a non-scholastic boys' basketball team.4
In an effort to generate funding for programs at the YMCA, the representative also
organized clinics, races and promotional events. Both the institution and the head
basketball coach described in great detail that the representative did not bear many of the
typical characteristics of a representative of the institution's athletics interest. The
institution, however, acknowledged that the representative met the definition of a
representative of the institution's athletics interest and under the facts of this case, the
representative was a representative of the institution's athletics interests.
By organizing or working basketball camps and clinics, which included the head
basketball coach's camp, the representative, like the part-time tutor, developed
relationships within the institution's athletics department. The representative knew
athletics department staff as well as student-athletes. For example, the representative was
the best man in a former assistant men's strength and conditioning coach's wedding. That
relationship led to additional introductions and relationships within the athletics
department, in particular the men's basketball program. Also, the representative assisted
the part-time tutor with the supervision of required community service hours for the
institution's football student-athletes and a men's basketball student-athlete, ("studentathlete 1").
The head basketball coach reported that he first met the representative in 2001 or 2002
after a men's basketball student-athlete performed community service at the Oneida
YMCA. While the head basketball coach stated in his response that he "did not know the
representative at this point in time," several of the men's basketball assistant coaches
were friendly with the representative. For example, the former athletics trainer and the
director of basketball operations worked out with the representative on a regular basis.
Two other assistant coaches interacted with the representative as YMCA appearances and
the head basketball coach's summer basketball camp. The representative had developed
extensive relationships within the men's basketball program. And many of the men's
basketball staff reported that they considered the representative a friend or acquaintance.
The Representative as an Individual Responsible for Teaching/Directing Prospects
Although the representative was a friend to the men's basketball staff members, they also
knew of his connection to organized youth sports. In his interviews and at the hearing,
the head basketball coach acknowledged that he knew the representative had been
involved with an Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) program, but he did not believe the
representative was a coach. The assistant men's basketball coach took the same position
4
At the hearing, the parties generally agreed that the representative was affiliated with the nonscholastic boys' basketball team,
but he was not a coach.

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as the head basketball coach. Other members of the men's basketball staff did not know
about the AAU connection. But one or more members of the staff did know that he
worked at the YMCA in some capacity involving young people and/or summer camps,
including the head basketball coach's. Based on these connections with the AAU
basketball team, the YMCA and his involvement in camps and clinics, the representative
became "an individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a
prospective student-athlete ("prospect") is involved." While the head basketball coach
asked his coaches if the representative was an AAU coach, no one reported asking or
seeking clarification from the compliance office. Members of the basketball staff also
never inquired as to the whether the representative met the definition of "an individual
responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospect is involved." As a
result, the head basketball coach and the men's basketball staff assumed that the
representative was not limited to two complimentary admissions.
The men's basketball staff, however, never inquired as to whether the representative's
involvement in the teaching and directing of basketball activities limited his ability to
receive complimentary admissions. The men's basketball staff misunderstood or was
confused about NCAA legislation that limited complimentary admissions to two for an
individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospect is
involved. At the hearing, the institution acknowledged that there was a misunderstanding
of the nature of the representative's activities and how those activities interacted with the
NCAA legislation that limited complimentary admissions to two. From 2003 through
2007, the head basketball coach, two assistant men's basketball coaches, the former
assistant athletic trainer, and the director of basketball operations all provided the
representative with more than two complimentary admissions to numerous men's
basketball contests. On at least one occasion, a basketball staff member provided the
representative of the institution's athletics interest with complimentary admission to a Big
East Conference tournament game. The exact number of complimentary admissions
provided to the representative could not be determined. The enforcement staff alleged 21
separate instances. The institution submitted a post-hearing response identifying a
number of instances where individuals with the representative's last name received
complimentary admissions. Based on the parties' submissions, including the institution's
self-report, it is clear that the representative received more than two complimentary
admissions on a number of occasions. In his interviews, the head basketball coach
claimed he never personally gave the representative complimentary admissions but stated
that he did review the complimentary admission request list prior to events. The head
basketball coach was therefore on notice of complimentary tickets going out under his
name.
Student-Athletes' Involvement in YMCA Activities
Beginning in the late 1990's or early 2000's, the part-time tutor provided community
service opportunities for the institution's student-athletes. The parties believe community

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service opportunities began when members of the institution's football coaching staff
approached the part-time tutor after a football student-athlete needed to satisfy a 400community service hour requirement. 5 Nothing in the record indicates otherwise.
Similarly, the representative provided student-athletes with community service
opportunities. When student-athlete 1 was confronted with a legal matter, the
institution's judicial affairs board dismissed him from campus for one-year and required
him to perform 100 hours of community service. Student-athlete 1 performed his
community service through the YMCA and under the representative's supervision. 6 To
update the judicial affairs board, the representative wrote letters on behalf of studentathlete 1 about his progress. The institution's judicial authority and compliance office
relied upon the representative's reports to verify student-athlete 1 met his requirements.
Thereafter, student-athlete 1 reapplied and the institution permitted him to return for the
2002-03 academic year. 7
Also during the early 2000's, student-athletes began participating in community related
promotional activities without obtaining institutional approval. Specifically, on various
dates from the 2003-04 through 2006-07 academic years, there were approximately 12
instances when student-athletes participated in a promotional activity without fully
completing the promotional activity approval process. Some of the student-athletes
participated in events without first submitting a signed promotional activity form and
receiving institutional approval. Others participated without fully completing the
promotional activity form or without executing a release. Finally, one men's basketball
student-athlete, working with the representative, raised funds purportedly for a charitable
organization; however, the funds were used to promote the representative's upcoming
basketball tournament, a commercial venture.
Also during that time period, a women's basketball student-athlete participated in an
outside basketball competition event. The YMCA organized the game, publicized it in
advance with predetermined rosters, kept an official score and charged admission for
attendance. With the exception of the commercial venture, the other appearances and the
outside competition were associated with charitable or community service-based
activities.
The record is not entirely clear whether the institution first approached the part-time tutor in 1997 or 2002 about community
service commitments. However, no one disputes that the institution approached him and that his relationship and the
opportunities he provide student-athletes grew from there.
6
It is unclear whether the men's basketball coaching staff initiated the community service request, but no one disputes that
community service occurred through the YMCA.
7
During his time away from the institution, student-athlete 1 participated in an outside competition violating NCAA legislation.
As a result, he was ineligible for the first 12 competitions of the 2002-03 season. However, after he served the suspension he
returned as an integral member of the men's basketball team that won the 2002-03 NCAA Division I National Championship.

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At no time during student-athletes' community service and promotional activities through

the YMCA did institutional members conduct site visits. At the infractions hearing, the
former director of compliance acknowledged that from 2003 to 2006 he never conducted
a site visit to monitor or review the nature or the terms of the community service
activities.
The Representative and Student-Athlete 1
Supervising student-athlete 1's community service hours served as a catalyst for
developing a relationship between the representative and student-athlete 1. The
relationship continued to grow after the 2002-03 academic year under the support and
encouragement of athletics and men's basketball staff members. The former director of
compliance, the head basketball coach and a former assistant men's basketball coach
knew that student-athlete 1 experienced serious personal challenges. They knew that he
lacked support from his parents. They also knew that the men's basketball student-athlete
often turned to the representative and confided in him to receive the support he needed.
In fact, the institution knew and even encouraged these relationships. In his interview,
the former director of compliance indicated it was "not uncommon for a student-athlete
that doesn't have a parent or legal guardian in the picture to have someone [else]
involved."
The head basketball coach also encouraged student-athlete 1's relationship with the
representative. During the 2003-04 academic year, student-athlete 1 began experiencing
serious personal challenges for the second time in two years on campus. The head
basketball coach entrusted the representative to continue mentoring student-athlete 1 with
little inquiry because the head basketball coach believed the representative was someone
who could play an important and supportive role in student-athlete 1's life. The head
basketball coach encouraged it stating in his interview, "I just trusted him. I thought he
was a good guy for [student-athlete 1] to be around."
Student-athlete 1, however, continued to struggle and took a medical leave of absence
during the spring 2004 semester. He returned one month later. The former director of
compliance also trusted the representative, and when student-athlete 1 returned, the
former director of compliance relied upon the representative to keep him informed about
student-athlete 1's class attendance and psychological state throughout the summer and
the fall 2004 semester. The former director of compliance even went so far as to have
student-athlete 1 execute a release authorizing the representative, in addition to the
former director of compliance, to have access to student-athlete 1's medical and academic
records.
Student-athlete 1, however, failed to meet progress-toward-degree requirements, and the
institution declared him ineligible for the 2004-05 academic year. The institution's
former compliance officer submitted a progress-toward-degree waiver request, which

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included information furnished by the representative. The NCAA granted student-athlete

1 a hardship waiver and restored his eligibility. Student-athlete 1's enrollment at the
institution ended after the 2004-05 academic year.
The Representative, the Part-Time Tutor and the "Back on Track" Program
Prior to student-athlete 1's final academic year, the representative and the part-time tutor
used their experiences working with at-risk youth, in particular at-risk student-athletes, to
formalize the representative's mentorship with student-athlete 1. The representative and
the part-time tutor developed "Back on Track," a formal mentoring program for studentathletes. The program was a four-step program for student-athletes who were in serious
need of help. The program's purpose was to (1) provide a place for student-athletes "to
work out their issues when there is difficulty either at home at school or athletically" and
(2) provide a place for student-athletes to perform "meaningful service to kids and
families." The representative and the part-time tutor pitched the program to the former
director of compliance prior to the beginning of the 2004-05 academic year.
Prior to approving the program, the former director of compliance began to inquire about
the representative's mentoring relationship with student-athlete 1. With regard to the
"Back on Track" program, the former director of compliance contacted the Big East
Conference for guidance. 8 The former director of compliance's inquiry seemed to focus
on then-applicable NCAA legislation that limited a student-athlete's involvement in the
promotional activities of a charitable entity, such as the YMCA. The conference
approved the voluntary participation of student-athletes in the program and further
advised the former director of compliance to "monitor those activities and be sure that
student-athlete 1 is not receiving extra benefits or preferential treatment and all
community related appearances meet [the bylaw requirements]."
After several email exchanges with the part-time tutor and the representative, the former
director of compliance sought and received assurances from the part-time tutor and the
representative that NCAA legislation would be followed under the program. Mainly, the
former director of compliance wanted to confirm that the part-time tutor and the
representative had not taken into account student-athlete 1's athletics ability for
involvement with the program and that student-athlete 1 would not be provided
preferential treatment or additional benefits. The compliance office instructed the
representative and the part-time tutor to obtain written approval prior to providing
student-athlete 1 with any benefits or special arrangements. The institution did not report
ever receiving approval requests.
8
Before joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, the institution was a founding member of the Big East Conference from 1979 to
2013.

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The Representative, the AAU Bank Account and the Football and Men's Basketball
Programs
At the same time the representative launched the "Back on Track" program, he also
opened and operated a checking account that he used to pay student-athletes and athletics
staff. The representative named the account "AAU-DCCT" and used the Tri-Valley
YMCA's tax identification number. 9 The representative opened the account at a time in
which the institution had accepted and allowed him to be embedded in the institution's
men's basketball and football programs.
Both the identity of the account and the nature of the transactions would connect back to
the institution's student-athletes and its men's basketball program. The account served as
a source of payments provided to student-athletes, men's basketball staff members and
registration payments for local youth to attend coaching staff members' basketball camps.
From May 2004 to July 2005, the representative used the AAU-DCCT account to write
checks to student-athletes, compensate athletics staff members for their assistance or
appearance at YMCA events and to supplement the income of a men's basketball staff
member by paying his rent for a month. During this period, the representative deposited
more than $300,000 into that account. At times, the activity surrounding the account was
inexplicable and unpredictable. For example, activity surrounding the account included
same day deposits and withdrawals for the same amount. Other transactions did not
relate to any particular AAU, YMCA or other sporting event.
Additional confusion related to the source of the money stored in the account. In his
2011 interview with the enforcement staff, the representative identified a variety of
sources for the $300,000, including loans from his mother, his long-time friend and the
former assistant athletic trainer and the bank. He also stated that he collected camp
registration fees from area campers and deposited that money into the account. He
claimed he later used those fees to register campers for the head basketball coach's Big
Orange Camp and the assistant men's basketball coach's basketball Elite Camp.
The activity surrounding the account also drew the attention of the New York State
Office of the Inspector General (OSIG). During the OSIG's investigation, the
representative admitted that he was involved in gambling activities and at one time had
incurred $50,000 in debt. 10 The representative denied gambling activities when he
interviewed with the enforcement staff. The institution's investigation did not reveal any
information to support the claim that the representative was involved in gambling
9
"AAU" may have been a reference to a nonscholastic summer team that the representative assisted. "DCCT" may have been a
reference to the Dreams Can Come True tournament the representative operated under the auspices of the YMCA.
10
According to the OSIG report, the representative referred to online gambling activities, but he did not provide additional
details. The institution was unable to obtain any substantial information from which to conclude that the representative was
involved in gambling.

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activities and/or gambling activities connected to the institution. The investigation was
ultimately unable to determine the source of funds or the exact extent of the funds use.
However, regardless of the source of the funds, no one disputes it was used to make
payments to student-athletes.
With regard to the student-athletes, the representative admitted that he paid three football
and two men's basketball student-athletes for mentoring or working at clinics, camps or
tournaments or YMCA projects. The representative acknowledged that he paid studentathlete 1, and four other student-athletes, ("respectively, student-athletes 2, 3, 4 and 5").
Both the head basketball coach and a former assistant coach reported they knew that the
representative paid student-athletes to work at the YMCA. The former assistant
basketball coach reported that the representative would call him and ask him to inform a
student-athlete that he had a check for him. Similarly, the head basketball coach
acknowledged that he was not certain about the work performed nor did he talk to the
compliance office. The head basketball coach, however, assumed that the representative
paid student-athletes appropriately and that compliance knew about these payments.
Although the men's basketball staff, including the head basketball coach, knew that the
representative paid student-athletes, there is no information to support the representative's
claim in his interview that the student-athletes earned any of the money or that studentathletes received a reasonable rate of pay. The athletics department had a summer jobs
program for basketball and football student-athletes, but neither the representative nor the
YMCA participated in that program. Also, neither the representative nor the studentathletes could provide clear information about the kind of work actually performed or
rate at which they were paid. In one instance, the representative paid student-athlete 1
$3,100, and the very next day provided another check for $360. In other instances,
student-athletes received checks that did not coincide with YMCA related events.
Furthermore, any work associated with the "Back on Track" or other mentoring program
at the YMCA was volunteer work. Finally, when interviewed, the representative
admitted it was his understanding that the YMCA did not have money to pay the studentathletes. Nonetheless, he believed that the student-athletes expected to and should have
been paid for their YMCA activities. In total, based on the information self-reported by
the institution, the representative provided the five student-athletes with a total of 21
checks. The payments ranged from $100 to $3,100 and totaled $8,335. The
representative paid student-athletes out of the AAU-DCCT bank account.
The representative likewise compensated institutional staff for their appearances or
assistance at YMCA events. The staff members did not report their compensation as
outside income or supplemental pay to the institution. An assistant men's basketball
coach stated that in December 2004, the representative gave his family a "complimentary
membership" to the Syracuse YMCA as an honorarium for appearances at a basketball
clinic and other events. The assistant coach continued receiving the membership until the

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summer of 2006. Both the former assistant trainer and the graduate assistant trainer
stated that they were paid for working at separate basketball clinics. The representative
used the AAU-DCCT checking account to cover these payments. Finally, he also used
the account to pay the rent for an administrative assistant in the men's basketball program
in 2005. No one disputes that these payments from the representative to institutional staff
members occurred and the institution self-reported them as violations of NCAA
legislation.
Both the assistant men's basketball coach and the former assistant trainer reported they
knew the rules and knew they were required to report the outside income. The former
assistant trainer believed he had reported receiving the payment from the clinic; however,
the institution had no record of the disclosure. The assistant men's basketball coach
admitted to an "oversight." While the administrative assistant was adamant that he "did
not need [the representative]" to pay his monthly rent and that he did not request the
representative to do so, the apartment records identified a $440 payment from the AAUDCCT checking account. In no instance did staff come forward to disclose the payments
until the institution's 2007 investigation. 11 It was not until 2010, when the institution
would submit a self-report to the enforcement staff identifying the connections between
the representative, the bank transactions and its sport programs.
The institution claimed that the representative provided benefits "without [its] awareness
or acquiescence" particularly, where student-athletes were concerned. But institutional
employees were undeniably involved. Further, there were additional instances in which it
appeared that the representative operated in plain view of institutional staff. Between the
academic years 2002-03 and 2006-07, the representative provided local ground
transportation to three student-athletes. He also provided meals to one of those studentathletes. The meals were not at the representative's home. In its response and repeatedly
at the hearing, the institution tried to assert that the representative was not the "typical
booster." Ultimately, the institution self-reported the representative's activities as
potential NCAA violations.
The institution also discovered that the representative and institutional staff provided or
arranged for student-athletes to receive transportation and self-reported these as potential
violations in its 2010 self-report. 12 Between the 2002-03 and 2006-07 academic years,
the representative provided or arranged for transportation for four student-athletes,
totaling over 750 miles. Similarly, on at least five occasions, institutional staff provided
11
The institution first began investigating potential violations that are the subject of this case in 2007. At that time, the institution
learned that the New York State Office of Inspector General (OSIG) received a complaint about the representative's banking
activities. Specifically, the complainant alleged that the representative transacted business while on duty as a state employee with
a bank that was located approximately 47 miles from his office.
12
With respect to the transportation provided by the representative, the institution discovered an additional instance and later
self-reported that instance as a potential violation of NCAA legislation in a subsequent self-report.

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two student-athletes with automobile transportation that the institution concluded did not
fit the definition of "local." On one occasion in 2004, an assistant men's basketball coach
drove student-athlete 1 45 miles. Similarly, on four occasions in spring 2005, an
employee in the institution's football academic support unit provided a football studentathlete with round-trip transportation totally 128 miles. The institution discovered and
self-reported all of these instances as potential violations of NCAA legislation.
The Internship Program
Beginning in 2005, student-athletes 2 and 3 were enrolled in a course at the institution
that required an internship. The internship formally commenced in November 2005.
According to the part-time tutor, football student-athletes who were enrolled in the course
felt comfortable approaching him about securing internships at the YMCA because of his
work with them as tutor and/or mentor in the football program. The part-time tutor had
been promoted to CEO of the YMCA based in the Rome branch in 2000. He was in a
position to agree to facilitate internships for the institution's student-athletes. Like the
community service activities, the institution approved but took very few steps to
investigate or confirm the terms of the internship opportunities at the Oneida YMCA.
While student-athletes who engaged in previous community service opportunities did so
unattached from coursework, this Oneida YMCA internship was connected with one
particular course in the institution's child and family studies department. The course
included a 180-hour community service requirement and student-athletes received
academic credit.
The part-time tutor received an internship manual and a letter of understanding, which he
executed and that identified him as the point of contact for the YMCA. The part-time
tutor executed the letter of understanding in his capacity as YMCA CEO, not as a parttime employee of the institution.13 Additional paperwork related to the internship
identified the part-time tutor as the "administrator" of the internship.
Successful completion of the internship required: (1) service to a nonprofit approved by
the course professor; (2) completion of 180 hours at the internship site; (3) a final project
at the internship site; (4) a supervisor's evaluation and (5) classroom activities and other
submissions. The professor and the part-time tutor spoke to confirm the internship
requirements. Previously, the part-time tutor confirmed community service opportunities
for student-athletes and therefore was familiar with assisting student-athletes in meeting
service requirements. Therefore, it would be unreasonable and a deviation from past
practices for the part-time tutor to not confirm the student-athletes' requirements,
13
At the hearing, the institution reported that at the time student-athletes were pursuing internships at the YMCA, it did not have
a policy in place that either precluded athletic staff members from teaching or overseeing classwork on or off campus or required
staff members to disclose those teaching or oversight duties.

March 6, 2015
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particularly for service requirements that were associated with an academic course. 14 The
professor and the part-time tutor also discussed and the professor understood that the
representative would also be involved as a supervisor.
The part-time tutor reported that the representative provided direct supervision of
student-athletes 2 and 3 in 2005-06. The part-time tutor admitted that he had limited
personal knowledge regarding the hours that student-athletes worked. Instead, he relied
upon his personal observations, as well as the statements from student-athletes and their
supervisors assigned to monitor the internship. By the end of the fall 2005 semester, the
professor advised the part-time tutor that the two football student-athletes had not
completed the internship. The professor and the part-time tutor agreed that the studentathletes could continue into the spring 2006 semester. However, by March 2006, the
YMCA no longer employed the representative. According to the part-time tutor, at this
time he had just learned of the AAU-DCCT account, "a big gigantic checking account."
The part-time tutor became very "nervous" and he admitted that he "did not want to hurt
the student-athletes' chances" of receiving credit for the course.
The part-time tutor certified the 180-service hour requirement and submitted evaluations
on behalf of student-athletes 2 and 3 to the professor. 15 The professor relied on the parttime tutor's certification in assigning the student-athletes passing grades in the course.
During interviews, the student-athletes' recollection of their internship experience did not
match the part-time tutor's representations. For example, the part-time tutor identified
events, like a charity softball game, that could not be counted in the 180-service hour
requirement because it took place before the student-athletes enrolled in the course and
began the internship. In other instances, the part-time tutor recognized assistance with
basketball clinics and one of the student-athletes stated that he never attended any clinics.
In its December 20, 2013, self-report to the enforcement staff, the institution indicated
that the senior associate dean of the college who offered the course in question
commenced an academic integrity review of student-athletes 2 and 3 and a third football
student-athlete ("student-athlete 6"). As a result of that review, the institution determined
each student-athlete committed an academic integrity violation. 16
14
The part-time tutor stated that he was not initially advised of the service hour requirement in 2005-06 academic years when
student-athletes 2 and 3 interned. The part-time tutor maintained that he learned of the requirement when a third football studentathlete started his internship in 2006-07.
15
In his response and at the hearing, the part-time tutor maintained that he did not sign the correspondence certifying studentathletes 2 and 3's requirements. The panel finds that reasonable persons would conclude that unsigned correspondence certifying
that the student-athletes completed the service hour requirement and details the service projects was from the part-time tutor or
developed and submitted at his direction.
16
Pursuant to institutional policies, the institution sought to contact the three student-athletes to advise them that unless they
completed additional coursework, their degrees would be rescinded. At the time of the self-report, one student-athlete completed
the additional course work. A second student-athlete began the process of completing additional coursework. The third studentathlete could not be contacted. As a result, the institution rescinded his degree.

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Student-athletes 2 and 3 also misrepresented their activities at the YMCA. Both studentathletes claimed that they planned, organized and promoted a charity basketball game in
their final papers. Through its internal investigation, however, the institution could only
identify one charity basketball game that occurred during the student-athletes' internship.
The student-athletes did not organize or promote the game.
The fulfillment of internship service hours was also a problem for student-athlete 6. As
she had done for other students, the professor permitted student-athlete 6 to complete his
internship during the semester after its intended completion. During the subsequent
academic integrity inquiry, the institution identified time sheet accuracy and
contributions to substantive site projects as inconsistent. Student-athlete 6 submitted time
sheets during the fall semester that indicated that he was at the YMCA on days that the
institution would later determine football commitments would have prevented him from
being at the YMCA. In her interview, the professor reported that she spoke with the parttime tutor after the student-athlete's timesheet did not include a supervisor's signature.
The professor reported that the part-time tutor confirmed student-athlete 6's hours. Also,
as part of its determination that student-athlete 6 was involved in academic fraud, the
institution concluded that he did not engage in mentoring activities as he had reported in
his final paper. In its response to the Notice of Allegations (NOA), the institution
admitted that student-athlete 6 did not complete the project he described in his final
paper. The final paper accounted for 30 percent of his final grade in the course.
To a large extent, the institution's multi-year relationship with the Tri-Valley YMCA,
particularly the Oneida branch, the representative and the part-time tutor resulted in
numerous self-reported potential violations of NCAA legislation that involved violations
of the institution's academic integrity policy, cash payments and benefits. The institution
knew or should have known through its staff that the representative was more than a
"nice guy who would talk to players and try to give them the right advice." The
representative played a major role in the life of at least one of their student-athletes. He
was known by and had personal relationships with the men's basketball staff. And for a
five-year period beginning perhaps as early as 2002, he had access to the men's basketball
practices, locker room and the weight room. The institution repeatedly described
instances in which it sought assurances from the representative that he would not provide
extra benefits or special treatment. However, the institution, specifically the compliance
office, did not provide examples of instances in which it provided NCAA rules education
to either the representative or the part-time tutor during the decade-long relationship. 17
Rather, those responsible for ensuring compliance encouraged these relationships and
assumed they operated within NCAA requirements. Institutional personnel did not
conduct site visits to the areas in which student-athletes volunteered or interacted.
17
At the hearing, the part-time tutor admitted that he never received rules education while serving as a part-time tutor outside of
the initial orientation and education when he became a part-time tutor in 1989.

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Similarly, institutional personnel, including the head basketball coach, did not inquire
into the relationships the student-athletes developed with the representative.
The Institution's Academic Support for Student-Athletes
Following the 2004-05 academic year, the head basketball coach believed that his
program "was struggling" academically and it was "his responsibility to do something"
for the student-athletes in the men's basketball program. The head basketball coach hired
the director of basketball operations to fix his perceived problem. 18 And he did. The
men's basketball team "got academics back in order" and much of that success was
attributed to the director of basketball operations. Although he directly reported to the
head basketball coach, his roles and responsibilities did not follow those of a traditional
director of basketball operations. Instead, the head basketball coach identified the
director of basketball operations as the "academic point man" for men's basketball, to
work with athletics compliance and assist in coordinating with community activities.
Specifically, the head basketball coach explained at the hearing that ninety percent of the
director of basketball operations' responsibilities involved academics, while only ten
percent involved traditional operations work. The offices of the head basketball coach
and the director of basketball operations were in close proximity, and they engaged in
daily conversation regarding academics. At the hearing, the head basketball coach
acknowledged that he recruited some student-athletes that needed "additional academic
support". The head basketball coach entrusted the director of basketball operations to
handle all academic matters in his program.
In 2009 and 2010 the institution, through a special University Task Force, reviewed and
reported on the academic support it provided to all student-athletes. The Task Force
made recommendations aimed at providing student-athletes with quality academic
support, improving learning outcomes and enhancing compliance with academic integrity
requirements. During the 2010-11 academic year, the institution designated tutors and
mentors as resources to student-athletes. Tutors provided subject-specific assistance.
Mentors, in contrast, provided more general assistance such as organization and timemanagement skills.
Prior to employment, the institution required tutors and mentors to review institutional
policies and receive training. Specifically, the institution prohibited tutors and mentors
from performing work for student-athletes and providing student-athletes with extra
benefits. Additionally, the institution required tutors and mentors to memorialize their
commitment to the institution's academic integrity rules. After they reviewed the
institution's policies and procedures, tutors and mentors signed the institution's Academic
18
The director of basketball operations previously worked in academics. First, from 2001 through 2003, he worked as a graduate
assistant and academic advisor for the institution's men's and women's basketball programs. Next, in 2003 and with the
assistance of the head basketball coach he secured a full time position as an academic counselor at another member institution.
He held that position through 2005, when he returned to the institution as the director of basketball operations.

March 6, 2015
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Tutor Statement. Additionally, the institution required tutors to complete a 10-hour

training course. Finally, they attended orientation, where they received and reviewed the
institution's tutor training manual. The institution provided both mentors and tutors with
compliance training. In training materials, the institution established that it is against the
institution's policies and procedures for mentors and tutors to speak with a studentathlete's instructor, professor or coach. Further, in their interviews, institutional staff
members acknowledged that accessing student-athletes' accounts was generally against
the rules.
The Director of Basketball Operations' Involvement
The actual practice in the basketball program differed greatly from those expectations.
The director of basketball operations, whose job primarily consisted of monitoring
academic performance of basketball student-athletes, became overly involved in men's
basketball student-athletes' academic matters. For example, he collected and maintained
student-athletes' usernames and passwords and provided them to others, including
student-athlete support services. The director of basketball operations and members of
student-athlete support services commonly accessed student-athletes' network and email
accounts in an effort to monitor student-athletes' academic progress. In his interview, the
director of student-athlete support services indicated that he believed this practice
predated his tenure as director, which started in 2009.
Accessing student-athletes' accounts, however, was not limited to monitoring academic
progress. Rather, access was a piece of a larger effort led by the director of basketball
operations to manage student-athletes' academics. Institutional staff members, including
the director of basketball operations and student-athlete support services staff developed
student-athletes' academic plans, tracked course responsibilities and scheduling as well as
incoming communications from professors regarding course work and class status.
As part of this practice, the director of basketball operations and student-athlete support
services employees accessed and sent emails from student-athletes' accounts and
corresponded directly with professors. Numerous emails included attached academic
coursework, which was necessary to maintain the required grades for student-athletes to
remain eligible. Recipients of the emails included student-athletes and the director of
basketball operations. There is no indication that the director of basketball operations
questioned or reported concerns. To the contrary, the email and related data suggest the
common practice of the director of basketball operations monitoring, identifying and then
remedying academic concerns through email correspondence, which purportedly was
being sent directly by the student-athletes to their professors.
In the spring of 2011 and while accessing a student-athlete's email account, the director
of student-athlete support services discovered troubling emails from a student-athlete
support services mentor, ("the support services mentor") and the student-athlete support

March 6, 2015
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services tutor, ("the support services tutor") to basketball student-athletes. Some of these
emails also included attached coursework. In an email to colleagues, the director of
student-athlete support services expressed concern, specifically noting that it "looks as
though work might have been done for these students." Although concerned, the director
of student-athlete support services did not report his discoveries to the provost or
compliance offices. Rather, he permitted the support services mentor and tutor to
continue working with student-athletes and even assigned the support services mentor to
a new student-athlete.
The director of student-athlete support services did check the coursework for plagiarism.
But at the hearing, he admitted that he did not alert anyone in either athletics or
academics about his concerns. In his November 6, 2012, interview, he indicated that he
did not report his concerns because he feared he would not be taken seriously. He had a
sense that men's basketball might have "a little bit of special treatment." Finally, he
acknowledged that he believed the director of basketball operations was behind the fact
that a former academic support employee had been "pushed out" after 20 years of service,
and as a new employee, was mindful of that event.
In August 2011, the director of student-athlete support services circulated a department
memorandum to all coaches outlining student-athlete support services rules. Among
other things, the memo stated that student-athletes should not share their passwords.
Despite the written notification of policy, the director of basketball operations and
student-athlete support services staff continued to access student-athlete email accounts.
In the summer of 2012, the institution became aware of potential academic integrity
issues involving athletics' staff, student-athlete support services members and studentathletes based on an investigation into a men's basketball student-athlete's, ("studentathlete 7") coursework. 19 The investigation focused on reviewing forensic information
and metadata associated with a number of electronic files of identified men's basketball
student-athletes. 20 In its review, the institution first focused on metadata where the
"Author" and "Last edited by author" field was attributed to someone other than the
student-athlete.
The results of that investigation identified potential academic integrity violations and
suggested that athletics and student-athlete support services staff members were
integrally involved in the development of men's basketball student-athletes' coursework.
Specifically, that the support services mentor, tutor and the director of basketball
19
20
The panel discusses the facts surrounding student-athlete 7 in the coming pages.
In this case, metadata is embedded information relating to electronic documents. In metadata, there is information such as,
"author," "Last edited/saved by," "Revision number," "Date created," "Date last saved" and "Total editing time."

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operations provided assistance and/or services in connection with academic courses and
assignments for men's basketball student-athletes.
The Support Services Mentor, Support Services Tutor and Three Men's Basketball
Student-Athletes' Involvement in the Provision of Academic Benefits
Support Services Mentor
As both a support services mentor and basketball facility receptionist in the basketball
facility, the support services mentor worked under the direction of, or closely with, the
director of basketball operations. During this time, she assisted two men's basketball
student-athletes in academic coursework. In the fall of 2010, she assisted one of the
student-athletes, ("student-athlete 8"), in coursework in two of his classes. Similarly, in
the spring, summer and fall of 2011, she assisted the other student-athlete, ("studentathlete 9"), in coursework in three of his classes. In each instance, the student-athlete had
a coursework assignment(s), received assistance from the support services mentor and
turned in coursework for academic credit. Additionally, during their academic careers,
both student-athletes 8 and 9 fell behind in their course responsibilities. Through their
integral involvement, both the director of basketball operations and the support services
mentor were aware of their academic standing, sometimes before the student-athletes
themselves. 21
The institution identified these instances as potential academic integrity violations. The
enforcement staff deferred to the institution to determine whether its academic integrity
policy had been violated. Pursuant to the institution's policies and procedures, it
reviewed the matters. In each instance involving the support services mentor, the course
instructor could not locate a copy of the submitted work. 22 As a result, the institution
determined that the student-athletes had not violated the institution's academic integrity
policy. Thereafter, the enforcement staff, operating under the authority of the Legislative
Council's April 2014 official interpretation on academic misconduct determined that
allegations of extra benefits legislation were warranted.
Based on the institution's forensic investigation and metadata analysis, the institution
reported that in connection with a fall 2010 course student-athlete 8 received an
assignment, had access to multiple versions of that assignment through email and
received a grade in the course. Specifically, student-athlete 8 was assigned a five-page
paper that included at least five peer-reviewed scholarly papers and a bibliography. Two
versions of the paper existed. One, a four-page paper, was saved on student-athlete 8's
21
Student-athlete 9's home college placed him on probation and eventually suspended him for not meeting his spring probation
requirements. By the end of the summer 2011 term, however, he was able to increase his grade point-average required level, 2.0.
During that time period, he worked with the support services mentor in three classes.
22
At the hearing, the institution's associate provost for programs indicated that the institution could not locate the records because
the institution typically operates under a one-year shred cycle.

March 6, 2015
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network user profile. Another, a six-page paper that included scholarly articles and a
bibliography, was saved under the support services mentor's name and on the same type
of computer she had at home. The support services mentor emailed student-athlete 8 a
copy of the second paper. Subsequently, student-athlete 8's email account forwarded the
paper to the director of basketball operations. The same day, the support services mentor
informed the director of basketball operations that the paper had been completed and
submitted. Student-athlete 8 received a "B" in the course.
With respect to another fall 2010 course and based on the institution's forensic
investigation and metadata analysis, the institution reported similar circumstances
regarding the level of assistance student-athlete 8 received from the support services
mentor. Specifically, student-athlete 8 received a class presentation assignment. The
first version of a presentation outline was saved to student-athlete 8's user network. A
second, substantially revised version of the presentation was saved under the support
services mentor's user ID. The support services mentor created a script on her home
computer. The support services mentor emailed the presentation and script to the director
of basketball operations asking him to "print out for [student-athlete 8] to take." Studentathlete 8 presented and received a "C" in the course.
The institution reported that, during the spring and summer of 2011, the support services
mentor also assisted student-athlete 9 in two courses at a time when he was struggling
academically. Student-athlete 9's home college placed him on probation during the
spring 2011 semester. When he did not meet his probation conditions, his home college
suspended him. The director of student-athlete support services intervened and requested
that the home college review the probation conditions at the end of the summer because
student-athlete 9 was in the process of finishing a spring course during the summer. By
the end of the summer 2011 term, however, he was able to increase his grade pointaverage (GPA) to the required level, 2.0. In reaching that requirement, student-athlete 9
worked with the support services mentor during the spring and summer semester.
With respect to the first course and based on the institution's forensic investigation and
metadata analysis, the institution reported that the support services mentor was integrally
involved in the development and submission of student-athlete 9's coursework.
Specifically, student-athlete 9 received permission to make up coursework from a course
he enrolled during the spring 2011 semester. The makeup work consisted of a midterm
consisting of 50 definitions, two essays and a final exam consisting of three one-page
essays.
The institution identified a number of versions of the documents. First, during the spring,
a document completing eight of 50 terms was saved to student-athlete 9's user profile.
Over a month later and during a two and one-half hour tutoring session with the support
services mentor, three items were saved under student-athlete 9's user profile. They were

March 6, 2015
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a final exam, an expanded midterm consisting of 25 definitions and one essay. 23 Only
one of these items, the essay, was opened for editing during the tutoring session. The
other two were only saved to student-athlete 9's user profile, indicating that they were
likely created prior to the tutoring session. At some point, these documents were housed
on the same type of device that the support services mentor used at home. The name that
appeared in the "author" field differed from the vast majority of student-athlete 9's other
documents. 24 Later that day, student-athlete 9's email account sent the instructor the
three assignments.
The institution's forensic investigation also discovered that the support services mentor
created and saved a completely revised version of student-athlete 9's essay after he had
turned it in for credit. Two minutes after the support services mentor saved the revised
paper, the director of basketball operations received an email from student-athlete 9's
personal email account with the paper attached. The email originated from the support
services mentor's home computer. These events occurred two days prior to studentathlete 9 receiving his final grade in the course. It does not appear that the paper was
turned in for credit in place of student-athlete 9's earlier submission.
Over the next two weeks, representatives from student-athlete support services
communicated with the instructor regarding student-athlete 9's academic status. The
instructor indicated that student-athlete 9 would need an 82 on the final paper to reach his
required cumulative GPA. The final paper was required to be between six and eight
pages. The paper went through three versions. All three were created and/or edited on
the same type of device the support services mentor had at home. The first two were
saved to student-athlete 9's user profile. The last known version was edited and saved by
the support services mentor. Three minutes after saving the final version, student-athlete
9's personal email account sent the paper to the director of basketball operations. The
email originated from the support services mentor's home. Student-athlete 9 received a
"B" on the paper, raising his course grade and meeting his required cumulative GPA.
The institution reported that during the summer of 2011 the support services mentor
provided similar assistance to student-athlete 9 on an analytical reaction paper and
another paper for a second course. Based on the institution's investigation and metadata
analysis, the institution reported potential issues related to creating, editing and
transmitting the assignments. Specifically, the name that appeared in the "Author" fields
differed from the vast majority of student-athlete 9's other documents. The support
services mentor's name appears in the "Last saved by" field for both documents. Both
23
In total, four documents were saved to student-athlete 9's user network. However, two documents appeared to be identical
copies of the midterm examination.
24
Specifically, the vast majority of documents reviewed by the institution indicated "author" fields with either the studentathlete's first and last name or the first two initials of his first name followed by his last name. Only the student-athlete's last
name appeared in the author field for these three documents.

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documents originated on the same type of device that the support services mentor used at
home. Within minutes after being saved, both documents were emailed from the support
services mentor's home computer to student-athlete 9's personal email address and the
director of basketball operations. Student-athlete 9 received a "C+" in the course.
At the conclusion of the summer 2011 term, the support services mentor ceased being
employed with student-athlete support services. The director of basketball operations
assisted the support services mentor in securing a position as a receptionist in the
basketball facility. During fall 2011 and despite no longer being authorized to provide
academic support to student-athletes, she continued to assist student-athlete 9
academically in one of his fall 2011 courses. In her interview, the basketball facility
receptionist acknowledged that she provided one-on-one "organizational assistance" to
student-athlete 9 during the fall semester.
Based on the institution's investigation and metadata analysis, the institution reported
potential issues related to creating, editing and transmitting of coursework that appeared
to exceed organizational assistance. Specifically, the director of basketball operations
and the basketball facility receptionist communicated on student-athlete 9's academic
standing. When the director of basketball operations received email updates, he would
forward those updates to the basketball facility receptionist. During the semester,
student-athlete 9 received a paper assignment relating to his college major. The
institution located a course paper for student-athlete 9 under the network ID "Mmenbball." The men's basketball offices, including the basketball facility receptionist,
had access to the M-menbball network ID. At some point, that document was housed on
the same type of device that the basketball facility receptionist used at home. The
basketball facility receptionist sent seven academic or institution related emails using
student-athlete 9's institutional or personal email accounts from her home. Two of those
emails related to this course and she sent both from her home computer. She sent both of
those emails to the director of basketball operations. One tracked the due date for a paper
on "picking a college major." The other included a statement written on behalf of
student-athlete 9 to the assistant dean of student affairs. The subject line read, "input."
Student-athlete 9 received a "C+" in the course.
Support Services Tutor
Finally, the institution self-reported that during the spring 2012 semester the support
services tutor assisted a men's basketball student-athlete, ("student-athlete 10"), by
writing a portion of a midterm paper. 25 Based on the institution's forensic investigation
and metadata analysis, the institution determined that the support services tutor created
and provided student-athlete 10 with coursework that he turned in for credit.
25
The institution originally self-reported the assistance as a secondary violation. The enforcement staff never processed the
violation, however, because of its ongoing investigation and the similarity of the self-report to other alleged violations of NCAA
legislation.

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Specifically, student-athlete 10 received a midterm paper as an assignment. On March

27, 2012, a document containing one paragraph of text was created under the support
services tutor's network ID. The document's title contained the course's identification
number and student-athlete 10's first name. That same day, the support services tutor
emailed the document to student-athlete 10. The paragraph appeared in the final version
of the paper. Student-athlete 10 received a "D" in the course.
The institution processed the incident through its academic integrity process. Initially,
student-athlete 10's professor determined that an academic integrity violation occurred.
Student-athlete 10 appealed and an institutional panel designated for reviewing academic
integrity appeals reversed the decision.
As was suggested earlier, the record clearly suggests a pattern of behavior. The director
of basketball operations (whom the head basketball coach hired to "fix" the academic
problems) and the men's basketball facility receptionist would monitor the email accounts
of the student-athletes, would identify potential academic situations and deficiencies in
coursework completion that might create eligibility problems, and then proceed to work
in concert to remedy the problem. The result was the academic performance of the
basketball student-athletes improved and fewer student-athletes were ineligible.
However, the extreme level of academic assistance not only violated the institution's own
policies for tutors and support service providers but also NCAA rules that preclude
student-athletes from being provided academic benefits that are not available to the
general population.
The Director of Basketball Operations, Basketball Facility Receptionist and
Student-Athlete 7
In December 2013, the institution provided the enforcement staff with its second selfreport claiming, pursuant to its policies, the director of basketball operations, the
basketball facility receptionist (formerly the support services mentor) ("the basketball
facility receptionist") and student-athlete 7 violated the institution's academic integrity
policy. The institution's self-report came after student-athlete 7 missed a series of
competitions due to academic ineligibility. The institution first sought to restore studentathlete 7's eligibility through the waiver process. The NCAA Academic and Membership
Affairs (AMA) staff denied the institution's requests. Subsequently, student-athlete 7
sought and received a grade change that restored his eligibility, returning him to
competition. These events occurred while the enforcement staff was investigating the
institution for potential violations self-reported by the institution in 2010. The
enforcement staff inquired about the circumstances surrounding the grade change.
Because of the enforcement staff's inquiry, the institution reviewed the events leading up
to student-athlete 7's restoration of eligibility. In that review, the institution examined
forensic information, metadata and communications associated with student-athlete 7's
grade change.

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In January 2012, the institution declared student-athlete 7 ineligible for competition after
he failed to meet the NCAA's progress-toward-degree minimum requirement. At the
time the institution declared him ineligible, the men's basketball team was undefeated.
The institution submitted a waiver application to the AMA staff explaining both medical
and personal difficulties student-athlete 7 faced during his time at the institution. The
waiver included a signed personal statement explaining these difficulties. It is unclear
who ultimately authored the personal statement. But the institution acknowledged that
student-athlete 7 received assistance on his personal statement. 26
On January 16, 2012, the institution submitted the waiver application to the AMA staff. 27
Four days later, the waiver was denied and the institution subsequently appealed. On
January 24, 2012, the appeal was denied. After the second denial, the institution initiated
a series of events that it asserted were motivated by student-athlete 7's best interests,
mainly to restore student-athlete 7's eligibility and return him to the basketball court.
On the morning of January 25, 2012, the director of athletics convened a meeting with
individuals from academics and athletics to review student-athlete 7's situation and
discuss options for him to regain eligibility. The institution's faculty athletics
representative and associate provost attended. The director of athletics, both of the
institution's deputy directors of athletics, the director of compliance, the director of
student-athlete support services and the director of basketball operations also attended.
The representatives met to discuss the options available to student-athlete 7. The options
included: (1) classifying the course as a "non-attendance," (2) pursuing an incomplete or
(3) executing a grade change. 28 At the meeting, each participant had a copy of studentathlete 7's transcript and discussed what courses might be suitable for a grade change and
determined that it was the most viable option to pursue identifying a course that
student-athlete 7 completed the previous year. Additionally, the associate provost made
clear that grade changes can only be initiated by students. The group, however, left it to
the director of basketball operations to inform student-athlete 7 of his options and to
follow up on the matter. The group did not discuss any steps that might be taken to
ensure that improper academic support would not be provided and to ensure that studentathlete 7 would achieve a grade change based on his own initiative and work.
26
In their respective interviews, the director of compliance, the director of basketball operations and student-athlete 7 all had
different accounts of the creation of the personal statement. The director of compliance indicated that she worked primarily with
the director of basketball operations. The director of basketball operations indicated that he worked with student-athlete 7 and
coordinated with the director of compliance. Finally, student-athlete 7 indicated that he worked with the director of compliance.
Regardless, it was not impermissible for student-athlete 7 to receive assistance on the personal statement included in his waiver
application.
27
The panel noted that the waiver is dated January 16, 2012. In its written reply, the enforcement staff stated that the institution
submitted the waiver on January 14, 2012. The difference, however, does not affect the case.
28
At the hearing there were conflicting statements regarding whether the group settled on a final appropriate avenue. Based on
the parties' submissions and information presented at the hearing, however, the representatives generally agreed that studentathlete 7 would pursue a grade change. The facts bear out that the final plan was a grade change.

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When asked by the panel at the hearing whether a meeting like this had ever previously
occurred for a student-athlete, the institution's vice chancellor and provost indicated that
it had not. The institution also indicated that there were other motivations at play. The
director of athletics indicated that this particular student-athlete "needed basketball."
And the head basketball coach stated that if student-athlete 7 were ineligible, he would
have been on a plane home "the next day." He also expressed a desire for "the best
defensive player in the country to play" but acknowledged that he hoped it would be done
within the rules. Finally, there was a sense of urgency as the institution's next scheduled
basketball game was only three days away, January 28, 2012.
The head basketball coach knew that institutional staff met to explore student-athlete 7's
options and that student-athlete 7 would attempt to secure a grade change. He likewise
knew that student-athlete 7 was a high-profile student-athlete and that the institution was
presently under investigation into potential violations within his program. The head
basketball coach entrusted the director of basketball operations to do it "the right way"
but never inquired into the specific circumstances surrounding the grade change.
On January 26, 2012, student-athlete 7 met with a professor during her afternoon office
hours to discuss the potential grade change. During the meeting, the professor agreed
that student-athlete 7 could submit extra work to raise the C+ he earned the previous year.
She assigned student-athlete 7 a four to five-page paper with citations from scholarly
journals. The subject of the paper related to some of the medical and personal problems
student-athlete 7 had faced during his time in college. The following morning, the
professor received an email from student-athlete 7's account with the attached
assignment. The professor informed student-athlete 7 that the paper was "inadequate"
because it did not include citations. Later that afternoon, the professor received a revised,
final version of the paper that included citations from student-athlete 7's institutional
email account.
The professor reviewed the paper and determined that its submission raised studentathlete 7's grade a full letter grade. Word circulated and eventually multiple athletics and
academic personnel involved themselves in ensuring that the grade change occurred as
soon as possible and before institutional offices closed for the weekend. With time of the
essence, the director of compliance, the director of student-athlete support services and
the deputy director of athletics, as well as the professor, went to the registrar's office to
ensure that the grade change form was processed "appropriately." The form, however,
did not have the required signatures, and they were not able to secure those signatures
before offices closed for the weekend. Student-athlete 7 did not play in the game the
following day. Over the weekend, the director of compliance emailed the executive vice
president/chief financial officer of the institution informing him that the institution's vice
chancellor and provost would be "very disappointed" if the request were not approved.
She also noted that the vice chancellor and provost wanted the institution to engage in a
discussion with the NCAA prior to student-athlete 7 playing in the upcoming game.

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On Monday, January 30, 2012, the College of Arts and Sciences expressed concern over
the grade change. Specifically, the college questioned the timing and impact on studentathlete 7's eligibility. The college also expressed concern that over a year had passed
since student-athlete 7 completed the course. Eventually, on February 1, the grade
change posted. On February 4, 2012, the institution's next competition, the head
basketball coach played student-athlete 7. At no time during this process did compliance,
the head basketball coach or anyone that attended the January 25, 2012, meeting inquire
about the validity of the work or grade change. Rather, in independent emails, the
director of athletics and director of student-athlete support services expressed frustration
in the faculty's review of the legitimacy of the grade change.
Later that month, the enforcement staff inquired about the circumstances related to the
grade change. From that inquiry, the institution collected and analyzed forensic
information, metadata and communications related to the grade change. The institution
noted a particular amount of activity that occurred after the January 25 meeting up
through the enforcement staff's inquiry. Based on the information developed, the
institution concluded that the director of basketball operations and the basketball facility
receptionist "took it upon themselves to try and restore student-athlete 7's eligibility
through the provision of obviously improper assistance with the grade change." The
institution reported that they provided text, research and citations included in the final
paper submitted for credit.
Specifically, the institution reported that student-athlete 7 met during afternoon office
hours with a professor from a class he had previously completed and received permission
to complete a four to five-page paper with scholarly citations. When tracing the origins
of student-athlete 7's assignment, the institution discovered that the personal statement
from student-athlete 7's waiver application was saved on the director of basketball
operations' computer. The institution reported that the final paper submitted for credit
was actually a revision of the personal statement previously included in student-athlete
7's waiver application, which had been just recently filed with the NCAA and denied.
The development of the paper submitted for credit began on January 26, 2012, at 11:19
a.m. Over the next 27 hours, the paper went through at least seven revisions prior to
submission. None of the metadata associated with any of the versions listed studentathlete 7 as an author. Conversely, all versions listed the director of basketball
operations, "mbball" or the basketball facility receptionist in these fields. Over the 27
hours, the director of basketball operations and the basketball facility receptionist
engaged in numerous communications. The director of basketball operations' institution
email account and the basketball facility receptionist's personal email account exchanged
seven emails, six of which contained an attached version of the final paper. After the
second email exchange, the institution's records indicate that the director of basketball
operations and the basketball facility receptionist exchanged three short phone calls. The

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final paper raised student-athlete 7's previous grade from a full letter grade from "C-" to a
"B-" and restored his eligibility.
The institution also discovered that on the day before the enforcement staff was
scheduled to interview student-athlete 7, someone attempted to delete the final version of
student-athlete 7's paper from the director of basketball operations' computer. The
institution reviewed student-athlete 7's grade change pursuant to academic integrity
policies and procedures available to all students. The institution concluded that studentathlete 7 received "unauthorized assistance" in completing the assignment and issued him
a failing grade. The institution also took personnel action, terminating the basketball
facility receptionist and permitting the director of basketball operations to resign.
The institution self-reported that student-athlete 7, the director of basketball operations
and the basketball facility receptionist violated the institution's academic integrity policy.
All of these events occurred in the head basketball coach's program and occurred after he
hired the director of basketball operations to oversee his student-athletes' academics, a
position that reported directly to him.
In the example of student-athlete 7, in order to keep one of their best players eligible the
institution simply did not take "no" from the NCAA for an answer. The academic leaders
(including the faculty athletics representative and associate provost) were convened by
the director of athletics, developed a game plan going forward and then left it to the
director of basketball operations to get the job done.
The Cooperation of the Academic Coordinator
During its investigation, the enforcement staff identified an academic coordinator, ("the
academic coordinator") as an individual who potentially had important information about
the student-athlete support services provided to men's basketball student-athletes. The
academic coordinator originally declined, but later submitted to an interview and
participated in the October hearing. The academic coordinator worked in that role for the
institution from 2004 to 2012. In the summer of 2012, the academic coordinator began
working as an assistant registrar at a different NCAA member institution.
From January 2014 to April 2014, the enforcement staff attempted to secure an interview
with the academic coordinator. The academic coordinator, however, repeatedly declined.
In April 2014, she requested that the enforcement staff stop contacting her. On May 6,
the enforcement staff issued an NOA, alleging that she failed to cooperate.
After neither participating nor responding, on September 25, 2014, the academic
coordinator indicated her willingness to participate in the infractions hearing. Later, on
October 3, she indicated her willingness to submit to an interview. After the enforcement
staff notified all parties, the interview took place on October 14. On October 30, 2014,

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the academic coordinator also participated in the hearing. She only participated in the
portion of the hearing related to her alleged failure to cooperate.
In her interview and again at the hearing, the academic coordinator indicated that after
discussing the interview request with her present employing institution she decided not to
initially participate. Specifically, she spoke with institutional representatives who were
unfamiliar with NCAA process. Based on that advice and her discomfort, she originally
declined to participate.
At the hearing, the academic coordinator indicated that she wished she had participated
the entire time and made the decision to eventually participate based on advice she
received from her current vice president of enrollment management. At the hearing, the
enforcement staff indicated that from the moment she indicated her willingness to
participate, the academic coordinator had fully cooperated.
Failure to Adhere to Institution's Drug Testing Policy
In the institution's 2014 self-report, it reported only that it did not follow its written drug
testing policy and provided none of the details that had been previously provided. The
institution redacted information relating to the number of affected student-athletes and
the involved sport program it detailed in its October 2010 self-report. 29
The institution developed a written drug testing policy in May 2000. With the exception
of two amendments, that policy remained unchanged until 2009. 30 During that span, the
institution published the policy in the student-athlete handbook. The policy outlined
consequences for positive tests, however, in many instances there were no apparent
consequences. According to the policy, after the first positive test, a student-athlete
became ineligible until the student-athlete's head coach notified the student-athlete's
parents. After a second positive test, the policy required the student-athlete be removed
from the squad until a counselor advised the team physician that the student-athlete was
no longer using a prohibited substance. Finally, after a third positive test, the policy
required for the termination of the student-athlete's athletics eligibility and withdrawal all
athletically related financial aid at the conclusion of the semester.
The policy underwent two amendments in 2004 and 2008. Specifically, in 2004 the
institution added a "grace period," whereby the director of athletics could extend a onetime conditional grace period after a student-athlete's third positive test. Additionally, in
29
In the October 2010 self-report, the institution disclosed that from October 2001 to early 2009, it did not follow its drug testing
policy in the sport of men's basketball on numerous occasions. Further, at the hearing, the institution acknowledged that it did
not review any of the institution's other sport programs' compliance with the written drug testing policy.
30
In 2009, the institution developed and implemented a new drug testing policy.

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2008, the institution amended the policy again adding an "intervention policy," whereby
the director of athletics had the authority to intervene with any student-athlete if the
director of athletics did not feel the grace period "adequately address[ed] mitigating
individual circumstances affecting the student-athlete's substance abuse."
At the hearing and in their interviews, both the head basketball coach and the director of
athletics admitted that they did not strictly follow the written policy. Specifically, in his
interview the head basketball coach acknowledged that he had student-athletes test
positive and rather than call the student-athletes' parents, he brought the student-athletes
in and talked to them. When questioned why he did not call the parents, the head
basketball coach responded that the director of athletics did not require him to follow the
policy and, in at least in some instances, "it would have been fruitless." At the hearing,
the head basketball coach also admitted that he did not call the parents because his
director of athletics told him he did not have to and he did not know that failing to follow
the policy violated NCAA rules.
Similarly, at the hearing the director of athletics defended the head basketball coach's
decision not to call parents, claiming that the policy was confusing. The director of
athletics indicated that there was an "unwritten policy" whereby it was known that
coaches were not going to call parents.
Finally, based on information developed in interviews with the assistant director of
athletics for sports medicine, student-athletes tested positive on more than one occasion
and were not typically withheld from practice and/or competition in accordance with the
written policy. And he could not recall a time where a student-athlete was withheld from
competition since 2000.
IV.
ANALYSIS
A.
IMPERMISSIBLE EXTRA BENEFITS. [NCAA BYLAWS 16.12.2.1 and

16.12.2.3-(d) (2002-03 through 2004-05); 16.12.1.5-(a) (2003-04 and 2004-05);
16.11.1.5-(a); 16.11.2.1 and 16.11.2.3-(d) (2005-06) NCAA Division I
Manuals]
The representative provided over $8,000 of monetary extra benefits to five of the
institution's student-athletes. The representative provided or arranged for
automobile transportation for three men's basketball and one football studentathlete. For one of the student-athletes, he also provided fast food meals. The
institution and the enforcement staff substantially agreed on the facts and that
violations of NCAA bylaws occurred.

March 6, 2015
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1.
NCAA legislation regarding extra benefits.

The applicable portions of the bylaws may be found at Appendix Two.
2.
The representative provided impermissible payments to five studentathletes when he used the AAU-DCCT account to pay them over
$8,000.
Over the course of approximately a 14-month period, the representative
provided impermissible payments to five of the institution's studentathletes totaling $8,335. These benefits violated NCAA Bylaw 16.
NCAA Bylaw 16 defines extra benefits. Generally, an extra benefit is any
benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. The representative
developed personal relationships with student-athletes. He developed
these relationships through his unique access to the men's basketball
program and through his interactions with student-athletes who
participated in mentoring and volunteer activities at the YMCA. The
representative identified three football and two men's basketball studentathletes that he paid out of the AAU-DCCT account for their involvement
in YMCA events. These events included mentoring or working at clinics,
camps or tournaments or YMCA projects. The student-athletes work with
the YMCA, however, was considered volunteer work.
Although the representative believed that the student-athletes expected to
and should have been paid for their activities, payment for those activities
violated NCAA Bylaw 16. Specifically, when the representative paid the
five student-athletes for volunteer work, he provided them with a benefit
not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation an extra benefit.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted Level I violations
of NCAA bylaws because the extra benefits were substantial and
extensive.
3.
The representative provided impermissible transportation

student-athletes and impermissible meals to one of those
athletes when he drove or arranged for someone to drive
athletes and purchased fast food meals for one of those
athletes.
to three
studentstudentstudent-
Between the 2002-03 and the 2006-07 academic years, the representative
provided or arranged for automobile transportation for three student-

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athletes and provided meals to one of those student-athletes.

arrangement and provision of benefits violated NCAA Bylaw 16.
The
NCAA Bylaw 16 defines extra benefits. Generally, an extra benefit is any

benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. NCAA Bylaw 16
expressly identifies transportation as a prohibited benefit. Further, NCAA
Bylaw 16 permits student-athletes to receive occasional meals from
representatives of the institution's athletics interest provided the meal
occurs at the representative of the institution's athletics interests' home. 31
The representative provided or arranged for his acquaintance to provide
automobile transportation for three student-athletes.
When the
representative either provided or arranged for automobile transportation
for the student-athletes, he provided them with a benefit not expressly
authorized by NCAA legislation an extra benefit. In fact, he provided or
arranged for a benefit expressly prohibited by NCAA legislation.
Additionally, when the representative provided meals to one of the
student-athletes away from the representatives home, he provided the
student-athlete with an extra benefit and violated occasional meal NCAA
legislation. NCAA legislation did not authorize these benefits.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted Level II violations
of NCAA bylaws because it involved collective Level III violations.
B.
UNETHICAL CONDUCT: ACADEMIC FRAUD. [NCAA BYLAWS 10.1

and 10.1-(b) (2005-06 and 2006-07) and 10.01.1, 10.1 and 10.1-(b) (2011-12)
NCAA Division I Manuals]
During the 2005-06 and 2006-07 years, the part-time tutor and three football
student-athletes committed unethical conduct and engaged in academic fraud
when they provided false and/or misleading information on the student-athletes'
involvement in an internship to a professor who subsequently awarded the
student-athletes with academic credit. Additionally, in January 2012, the director
of basketball operations and the basketball facility receptionist committed
unethical conduct when they arranged for student-athlete 7 to receive fraudulent
academic credit. The institution self-reported all four instances as violations of its
academic integrity policy.
The institution and the enforcement staff are in agreement with the conduct and
that violations occurred. The part-time tutor contested the allegation against him.
31
During the time period of the conduct, the exact numerical identifier of the applicable bylaws changed. While the identifier of
the bylaws changed, their substance (the general rule on extra benefits, occasional meals and other prohibited benefits) did not.

March 6, 2015
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1.
NCAA legislation regarding unethical conduct.

2.
The part-time tutor and director of YMCA and three football studentathletes engaged in academic fraud.
The part-time tutor, who also was CEO of the YMCA in Rome, New
York, and three football student-athletes submitted false and/or misleading
information related to the student-athletes' completion of internship
requirements to the student-athletes' professor, which the professor relied
upon in awarding the student-athletes academic credit. The part-time tutor
and student-athletes' conduct violated NCAA Bylaw 10.
NCAA Bylaw 10.1 defines unethical conduct. Among other things, the
Bylaw defines the knowing involvement in arranging for fraudulent
academic credit for a student-athlete as unethical conduct. The institution
offered a course in its Family and Child Studies Department that centered
on successful completion of an internship. Requirements of the internship
included: (1) service to a nonprofit organization approved by the
professor; (2) 180 hours at the internship site; (3) a final project at the
intern site; (4) a supervisor's evaluation; and (5) classroom activities and
other submissions. During the 2005-06 academic year, two football
student-athletes enrolled in the course and carried out their internship at
the YMCA. During the 2006-07 academic year, another football studentathlete enrolled in the course carried out his internship at the YMCA.
Because of his long-standing relationship with student-athletes as a parttime tutor, the student-athletes felt comfortable approaching the part-time
tutor/YMCA CEO regarding their required internships. Paperwork
identified the part-time tutor as the "administrator" of the internship and,
in his role as CEO of the YMCA, he received an internship manual and
executed a letter of understanding identifying himself as the point of
contact for the internship.
With respect to the 2005-06 academic year, student-athletes 2 and 3
participated in the internship and the part-time tutor and the studentathletes submitted false and/or misleading information regarding the
student-athletes' completion of requirements. Specifically, the part-time
tutor certified that the student-athletes completed their 180-hour service
requirement and supplied their professor with evaluations on the type of
activities the student-athletes performed. Unfortunately, the two studentathletes' representations differed from the part-time tutor's evaluations.

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The part-time tutor reported that he assigned the representative as the

direct supervisor of the two student-athletes. However, when the
representative ceased being employed by the YMCA, the part-time tutor
"did not want to hurt the student-athletes' chances" of receiving full credit
in the course and supplied the professor with information that that did not
accurately reflect the student-athletes' work in the internship. Similarly,
the student-athletes misrepresented their activities in their final paper. The
student-athletes claimed to have planned, organized and promoted a
charity basketball game. However, only one charitable basketball
occurred during their internship and they did not organize or promote that
game. The professor used the part-time tutor's certification and evaluation
as well as the student-athletes' final paper in formulating the studentathletes' grades.
Student-athlete 6 participated in the internship during the 2006-07
academic year, and the part-time tutor and student-athlete provided false
and/or misleading information relating to the internship. Student-athlete 6
submitted and, according to the professor, the part-time tutor confirmed
the student-athlete's hours. Some of those hours, however, indicated that
the student-athlete was working at the YMCA on days that student-athlete
6 had football commitments. Additionally, the institution determined that
student-athlete 6 did not complete the final project he described in his final
paper. The professor used the part-time tutor's certification and studentathlete 6's final paper in formulating the student-athlete's grade.
The part-time tutor held ultimate responsibility for the internships. While
he claimed that he was not the direct supervisor of the student-athletes
during their internships, he signed, confirmed and/or evaluated the
student-athletes' activities.
When the part-time tutor provided
certifications and/or evaluations based on limited personal knowledge he
committed unethical conduct. He knew that the student-athletes would
receive academic credit for their involvement in YMCA activities and he
had a duty to ensure that his certifications and/or evaluations were
accurate. Because he attested to the student-athletes' hours and activities
without verifying their accuracy, he was knowingly involved in arranging
for fraudulent academic credit and violated NCAA Bylaw 10.1.
Similarly, the student-athletes committed unethical conduct. During the
2005-06 internship, when student-athletes 2 and 3 misrepresented their
involvement in a charity basketball game and received academic credit
based on that representation, they committed academic fraud and violated
NCAA Bylaw 10.1-(b). Likewise, when student-athlete 6 in the following

March 6, 2015
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year misrepresented his final project and received academic credit, he

committed academic fraud and violated NCAA Bylaw 10.1-(b).
of NCAA bylaws because the academic fraud undermined and threatened
the NCAA Collegiate Model and provided a substantial advantage.
3.
The director of basketball operations and the basketball facility

receptionist committed unethical conduct when they engaged in
academic fraud.
The institution self-reported to the enforcement staff that after studentathlete 7 became academically ineligible, the director of basketball
operations and the basketball facility receptionist engaged in unethical
conduct when they completed academic coursework on behalf of studentathlete 7. Their conduct was aimed at restoring his eligibility and
returning him to competition. The academic fraud, in part, occurred
because the institution lacked oversight, control and monitoring over the
process aimed at restoring student-athlete 7's eligibility. The director of
basketball operations' and basketball facility receptionists' conduct
violated NCAA Bylaw 10.
NCAA Bylaw 10.01.1 requires that all individuals employed or associated
with a member institution act with honesty and sportsmanship. NCAA
Bylaw 10.1 defines unethical conduct. Among other examples, NCAA
Bylaw 10.1-(b) defines unethical conduct as the knowing involvement in
arranging for fraudulent academic credit.
At the time the institution declared him ineligible, student-athlete 7 was
one of the best defensive players in the country on an undefeated team.
After student-athlete 7 fell short of a progress-toward-degree requirement,
the institution submitted a waiver on his behalf. The waiver as well as the
institution's subsequent appeal were denied. The waiver included a
personal statement that identified personal and medical difficulties that
student-athlete 7 had experienced. Thereafter, senior members from both
the institution's academics and athletics staffs met to discuss the
institutional options available to student-athlete 7 to restore his eligibility.
As the institution acknowledged at the hearing, a meeting like this, aimed
at an individual student-athlete's eligibility options, had previously never
occurred at the institution. After exploring multiple options, the institution
determined the best course of action would be for student-athlete 7 to seek
a grade change. Meeting attendees left it to the director of basketball

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operations to inform student-athlete 7. Attendees made it clear, however,

that student-athlete 7 had to initiate the request.
Student-athlete 7 found a professor willing to give him the opportunity to
submit additional work for a course he completed two semesters prior.
The professor assigned a four to five-page paper, citing scholarly journals.
And the topic covered specific medical and personal problems problems
student-athlete 7 previously experienced. Within a day, the professor
received the assignment. The first paper submitted did not include
citations and the professor informed student-athlete 7 that the paper was
"inadequate." Later that afternoon, the professor received a revised paper
that included citations from student-athlete 7's institutional email account.
The professor reviewed the assignment and determined it was sufficient to
raise student-athlete 7's grade. Unfortunately, the director of basketball
operations and the basketball facility receptionist, not student-athlete 7,
completed and submitted the assignment.
The institution reported that the paper submitted for additional academic
credit was a revised version of student-athlete 7's personal statement
prepared for his waiver and that the director of basketball operations and
basketball facility receptionist provided text, research and citations to the
final paper. The paper's creation, revision and submission occurred
between January 26 and January 27, 2012. The director of basketball
operations had student-athlete 7's personal statement saved on his
computer. Over the course of approximately one day, the personal
statement underwent seven revisions authored by the director of basketball
operations or the basketball facility receptionist. The director of
basketball operations and the basketball facility receptionist exchanged
seven emails. Six of those emails contained newly revised versions of the
paper as an attachment. The two also exchanged three phone calls. The
grade awarded for the paper restored student-athlete 7's eligibility and the
final paper was saved on the director of basketball operations' computer.
The institution determined that student-athlete 7 received impermissible
assistance in completing the assignment that violated the institution's
academic integrity policies and procedures. The institution issued studentathlete 7 a failing grade.
The director of basketball operations and the basketball facility
receptionist failed to act ethically and conduct themselves with the honesty
required of individuals employed by a member institution. Worse yet,
they engaged in the conduct during a time when the institution was under
investigation for other potential NCAA violations and after student-athlete
7 had just been denied an eligibility waiver. After the AMA staff denied

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the eligibility waiver, the director of basketball operations and basketball

facility receptionist undertook an impermissible and unethical avenue to
restore student-athlete 7's eligibility and return him to competition. They
abused a procedure that if carried out appropriately by student-athlete 7
would have restored his eligibility within institutional and NCAA
requirements. However, it appears because time was of the essence, they
did not allow student-athlete 7 to complete and submit the work on his
own. Because they arranged for student-athlete 7 to receive fraudulent
academic credit, they violated NCAA Bylaw 10.1-(b).
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted a Level I violation
of NCAA bylaws because academic fraud undermined and threatened the
NCAA Collegiate Model and provided a substantial advantage.
C.
ACADEMIC EXTRA BENEFITS. [NCAA BYLAW 16.11.2.1 (2010-11 and

2011-12) NCAA Division I Manuals]
During the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years, the support services mentor,
who later became the basketball facility receptionist, as well as the support
services tutor, provided academic extra benefits to three men's basketball studentathletes. The institution and the enforcement staff disagreed that the mentor
provided academic extra benefits to two student-athletes. The institution and the
enforcement staff substantially agreed that the support services tutor provided an
academic extra benefit. The institution, however, disagreed that it should be
included in the case because the student-athlete made a charitable contribution as
restitution. 32
1.

2.
Over two academic years, two institutional staff members provided

three men's basketball student-athletes with impermissible academic
assistance and/or services not generally available through the
institution's student-athlete support services by creating and
providing coursework to the student-athletes.
32
The institution self-reported the violation to the Big East Conference. The Big East Conference forwarded the self-report to
the enforcement staff for processing, and because the self-reported violation was closely related to the pending investigation, the
enforcement staff transferred the matter from the secondary infractions case to be included in its alleged violations in this case.
The enforcement staff had not processed the self-report.

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The support services mentor, who later became a basketball facility

receptionist, and the support services tutor impermissibly made revisions,
created or wrote assignments for three student-athletes. Specifically, the
support services mentor, provided student-athletes 8 and 9 with
impermissible academic assistance in fall 2010 and summer 2011,
respectively. As a basketball facilities receptionist, she continued to
provide student-athlete 9 with impermissible academic assistance in fall
2011. Similarly, the support services tutor impermissibly wrote a portion
of student-athlete 10's midterm exam. The provision of coursework
violated NCAA Bylaw 16.
Generally, NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.1 does not permit student-athletes to
receive extra benefits. Additionally, the Legislative Council issued an
official interpretation stating that institutions have the authority to
determine whether academic misconduct occurred. 33 The interpretation
noted, however, that extra benefit legislation continued to apply regardless
of whether an academic misconduct violation occurred. Answering the
panel's NCAA Bylaw 19.7.8.2 interpretation request, the AMA staff,
Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee (LRIC) and Legislative
Council confirmed that extra benefit violations may still occur if the
institution determines, pursuant to its own internal policies and
procedures, that the conduct at issue does not result in a violation of
institutional academic integrity policy. Thus, after the institution reviewed
and determined that academic integrity violations had not occurred, the
enforcement staff appropriately alleged and the panel concluded that
academic extra benefit violations occurred.
Contrary to policies, procedures and trainings, institutional staff members
provided student-athletes with assistance contrary to the established
appropriate level of student-athlete support services' assistance. Support
services tutors and mentors received specific education and training on
rules relating to the institution's academic integrity policy and extra
benefits. In at least some instances, however, members of the studentathlete support services ignored or failed to follow policies, procedures
and training.
Specifically, the support services mentor, and later basketball facility
receptionist, provided impermissible assistance to two men's basketball
student-athletes. First, during the fall 2010 semester the support services
mentor made impermissible revisions to and created coursework for
33
Consistent with footnote 6, the 2014-15 Division I Manual and the referenced Official Interpretation use the terminology
"academic misconduct" rather than "academic fraud." The panel recognizes that the two terms are interchangeable but refers to
the violations as they were charged.

March 6, 2015
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student-athlete 8 in two of his courses. With respect to one course, she

provided student-athlete 8 with a paper that differed from the one saved on
student-athlete 8's network use profile. The paper she provided studentathlete 8 included two additional pages, scholarly citations and a
bibliography. With respect to the second course, the instructor assigned
the student-athlete a class presentation. The support services mentor
provided the director of basketball operations with a substantially revised
presentation and a script that she created for student-athlete 8's oral
presentation. When the support services mentor emailed the coursework
to the director of basketball operations, she included the direction, "print
out for [student-athlete 8] to take."
Second, during the spring, summer and fall of 2011 in her role as a support
services mentor and then as a basketball facility receptionist, she provided
student-athlete 9 with impermissible assistance on coursework in three of
his courses. With respect to the first course, the support services mentor
made revisions or created student-athlete 9's assigned midterm, two essays
and final exam. All of the documents were created on the same type of
computer that the support services' mentor used at home. Three
assignments (the midterm, one essay and the final exam) were saved to the
student-athlete's network user profile during a tutoring session, but only
one assignment underwent editing during the session. The other essay
went through multiple revisions and the final version of the paper was sent
using student-athlete 9's personal email address from the support services
mentor's home. The support services mentor also created a completely
revised version of the first essay. Like the other essay, the director of
basketball operations received the essay in an email from student-athlete
9's personal email account and the email originated from the support
services mentor's home. Student-athlete 9, however, never turned in the
document because he already received sufficient credit in the course based
on the earlier submissions.
With respect to the second course, the support services mentor created or
revised two assigned papers. Specifically, versions of the two assigned
papers indicated that the support services mentor was the last to save the
documents; the documents originated on the type of computer that the
support services mentor used at home; and the director of basketball
operations received the documents from student-athlete 9's personal email
account. Finally, the email transmitting the documents originated from the
support services mentor's home.
With respect to the third course, despite ceasing to be employed by
student-athlete support services, the now basketball facility receptionist

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created or revised a paper for one of student-athlete 9's fall 2011 courses.
Specifically, the basketball facility receptionist continued to monitor and
involve herself in the academic affairs of student-athlete 9. Among other
involvement, a course paper was housed on the type of computer the
basketball facility receptionist used at home and the paper was edited by
an athletics username that the basketball facility receptionist could access.
Additionally, the director of basketball operations received emails from
student-athlete 9's personal email account that originated from the
basketball facility receptionist's home. One of those emails included a
written statement on behalf of student-athlete 9 to the dean of studentaffairs. It also included the direction, "input."
Finally, the institution self-reported that during the spring 2012 semester
the support services tutor wrote a portion of student-athlete 10's midterm
exam. The panel believes that based on the similarity of other studentathlete support services activity that occurred around the same time, the
unprocessed self-report is appropriately included in the NOA. Its
inclusion, along with the other activities described above, paint a picture
of the student-athlete support services relationship and culture with the
men's basketball program. A culture that at times operated contrary to the
policies, procedures, trainings and expectations of the student-athlete
support services program.
The support services mentor, and later basketball facility receptionist, and
the support services tutor created, revised or wrote academic coursework
for the three men's basketball student-athletes. In doing so, they provided
student-athletes with impermissible assistance and services.
That
assistance and service was not part of, or the intent of, the student-athlete
support services program. It exceeded the type of support provided by the
institution and generally available through the student-athlete support
services program.
Therefore, when the support services mentor
(basketball facility receptionist) and support services tutor created, revised
or wrote academic coursework they provided student-athletes with extra
benefits and violated NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.1.
of NCAA bylaws because they seriously undermined and threatened the
integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model and provided a substantial
advantage and were not isolated nor inadvertent, but rather part of ongoing
violations.

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D.
FAILURE TO FOLLOW WRITTEN DRUG TESTING PROCEDURES.

[NCAA BYLAWS 10.2 (2001-02 through 2008-09), 14.01.3 (2001-02 through
2008-09) 32.2.3.1-(e) (2001-02 through 2004-05), 31.2.3.4-(e) (2005-06),
31.2.3.4-(d) (2006-07) and 31.2.3.4-(e) (2007-08 and 2008-09) NCAA Division I
Manuals]
From fall 2001 to early 2009, the institution failed to follow written institutional
policies and procedures concerning student-athlete drug use for student-athletes
who tested positive for banned substances. The institution originally reported the
violation in its October 27, 2010, self-report to the enforcement staff. The
institution amended and redacted portions of the self-report in its revised January
24, 2014, self-report to the enforcement staff. Although the institution selfreported that it did not follow its internal written drug testing policy, it did not
directly respond to the allegation in its May 6, 2014, response to the NOA.
Despite admitting a violation occurred, in both its response and presentation at the
hearing, the institution asserted legal claims for why the violations could not be
discussed. 34
1.
NCAA legislation regarding knowledge of banned drugs and

institutional procedures.
2.
The institution developed a written drug testing policy with specific

procedures and failed to follow its policy and procedures.
The institution acknowledged that it failed to follow written institutional
procedures for numerous men's basketball student-athletes who tested
positive for banned substances. NCAA Bylaw 10.2 requires institutions to
follow their institutional procedures dealing with drug abuse when
athletics staff members have knowledge of student-athletes use of
substances on the banned list. The bylaw further states that failure to
follow institutional procedures shall subject the institution to penalties.
The institution developed a written drug testing policy in May 2000. In
short, after a positive drug test a student-athlete became ineligible until
specific requirements were met. After a first positive drug test, the policy
declared the student-athlete ineligible until the student-athlete's head
coach notified the student-athlete's parents. After a second, the policy
declared the student-athlete ineligible until a counselor declared that the
34
The panel was conscientious to keep the discussion at the confidential infractions hearing to compliance with the written policy
and to avoid specific reference to information in the decision that could be used to identify specific student-athletes. The panel
limited reference in the decision to the general span of the violations and the affected sport program.

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student-athlete was no longer using banned substances. Finally, after a

third positive drug test, the policy called for the student-athlete's eligibility
to be terminated and for the institution to withdrawal all athletically
related financial aid at the conclusion of the semester. The institution did
not follow these written procedures. The head basketball coach admitted
that he did not call student-athletes' parents, but rather brought the studentathletes in to talk to him. The director of athletics accepted this practice.
Similarly, most of the student-athletes tested positive on more than one
occasion and were not removed from the squad until a counselor declared
that the student-athletes were no longer using ban substances. Studentathletes who tested positive a second time saw counselors within a day and
were released back to competition.
When the head basketball coach did not, and was not required to, call
student-athletes' parents the head basketball coach and institution did not
follow its written institutional policy. Likewise, when counselors released
student-athletes back to competition quickly without ensuring that studentathletes no longer used banned substances, the institution did not follow its
written institutional policy. The director of athletics claimed that the
institution followed an "unwritten policy" because the written policy was
confusing. The suggestion that an "unwritten policy" should supersede a
written policy was considered incredible by the panel and contrary to
virtually all sense of reason, as the reasons policies are in writing is to
ensure that they are clear and followed. Regardless, the written policy
remained in effect and when the institution did not follow its written
policy, it violated NCAA Bylaw 10.2.
of NCAA bylaws because they seriously undermined the principle of
student-athlete well-being and threatened the integrity of the NCAA
Collegiate Model.
E.
IMPERMISSIBLE COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSIONS. [NCAA BYLAWS

13.9.1 (2002-03 through 2004-05) and 13.8.1 (2005-06 and 2006-07) NCAA
Division I Manuals]
For approximately four years, men's basketball staff members provided the
representative, an individual responsible for teaching or directing prospects, with
more than two complimentary admissions. 35 Further, on at least one occasion, a
35
Through his interactions with a local AAU team and his affiliation with the YMCA, the representative became "an individual
responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved." For purposes of brevity, he

March 6, 2015
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men's basketball staff member provided the representative complimentary

admissions to a postseason competition. The institution and the enforcement staff
substantially agreed on the facts and that violations of NCAA bylaws occurred.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding complimentary admissions.

2.
The men's basketball staff provided the representative with

complimentary admissions that exceeded the NCAA bylaw limit when
staff members provided him with more than two complimentary
admissions and when a staff member provided him with a
complimentary admission to a postseason competition.
Between January 2003 and January 2007, members of the men's basketball
staff provided the representative with complimentary admissions that
exceeded the NCAA bylaw limitation. On at least one occasion, a men's
basketball staff member provided the representative with complimentary
admissions to a postseason competition. The provision violated NCAA
Bylaw 13.
During the time of the conduct, NCAA Bylaw 13.8.1 and later NCAA
Bylaw 13.9.1 outlined permissible entertainment for high school, collegepreparatory, two-year college coaches and individuals associated with a
prospective student-athlete. The bylaw permits these coaches or an
individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a
prospective student-athlete is involved to receive two complimentary
admissions to home athletics contests. The bylaw also prohibits
complimentary admissions to postseason competitions.
From the time he was hired in 1996 to coordinate youth sports
programming for the YMCA, the representative became an individual
responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective
student-athlete is involved. Similarly, the representative had at one time
been involved in an AAU program. The head basketball coach, at one
time, knew about this involvement because it prompted the head
basketball coach to inquire about the representative's involvement with
AAU programs after the head basketball coach saw the representatives
name on a complimentary admissions list. The head basketball coach
received assurances that the representative was not an AAU coach. At
will solely be referred to as "the representative" in this section, however, his role as "an individual responsible for teaching or
directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved" remains material.

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least some of the basketball staff, however, knew of the representative's

involvement with the YMCA, youth sports and the head basketball coach's
summer basketball camp. They never inquired as to whether that
involvement and status limited the quantity of complimentary admissions
the representative could receive or whether it limited his ability to receive
complimentary admissions to postseason competitions. On numerous
occasions, members of the men's basketball staff provided the
representative with more than two complimentary admissions and on at
least one occasion provided him complimentary admission to a Big East
Conference tournament game.
When members of the men's basketball coaching staff provided the
representative with more than two complimentary admissions, they
exceeded the NCAA limit and violated NCAA Bylaw 13. Similarly, the
men's basketball staff violated NCAA Bylaw 13 when a staff member
provided the representative complimentary admission to a conference
tournament game.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constitute Level II violations
of NCAA bylaws because of the length of time over which they occurred
and because the violations were not inadvertent, isolated or limited.
F.
FAILURE TO REPORT OUTSIDE INCOME AND SUPPLEMENTAL

PAY. [NCAA BYLAWS 11.2.2 and 11.3.2.2 (2003-04 through 2005-06)
Between July 2004 and summer 2006, three athletics department staff members
failed to report outside income or benefits to the institution's chancellor and one
athletics department staff member received supplemental pay from an outside
source. The institution and the enforcement staff substantially agreed on the facts
and that violations of NCAA bylaws occurred.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding outside income and supplemental pay.

2.
Three athletics staff members failed to report outside income or

benefits and one athletics staff member received supplemental pay
from an outside source after they received them from the
representative.
The representative's involvement, payments and provision of benefits did
not stop with student-athletes; it also included athletics staff. Athletics

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staff received outside income and benefits and failed to report what they
received to the institution's chancellor. Another staff member received
impermissible supplemental pay. The staff members failure to report
outside income, benefits and supplemental pay violated NCAA Bylaw 11.
NCAA Bylaw 11.2.2 requires athletics department staff members to report
all athletically related income and benefits from outside sources to the
institution's chief executive officer. Further, NCAA Bylaw 11.3.2.2
prohibits outside sources from paying or supplementing an athletics
department staff member's salary. Three athletics staff members failed to
report outside income or benefits. A fourth athletics staff member
received impermissible supplemental pay. The representative provided
each staff member with the outside income, benefit or supplemental pay.
The representative paid a former assistant athletic trainer and graduate
assistant athletic trainer for working basketball clinics. Like with the
student-athletes, the representative paid the athletic trainers with the AAUDCCT account. Similarly, the representative provided a complimentary
YMCA family membership to an assistant men's basketball coach in
exchange for appearances at basketball clinics. The assistant men's
basketball coach received the complimentary family membership for
approximately 18 months. Despite the former athletic trainer and the
assistant men's basketball coach acknowledging that they knew the rule
regarding outside income and benefits, they did not report the income or
benefits. Also using the AAU-DCCT account, the representative paid one
month's rent for a men's basketball administrative assistant.
The failure to report outside income or benefits and the receipt of
supplemental pay violated NCAA legislation. Specifically, when the two
athletics trainers and the assistant men's basketball coach failed to report
their receipt of outside income and the complimentary family gym
membership, they violated NCAA Bylaw 11.2.2. Likewise, when the
representative paid the basketball assistant's rent, he provided the
basketball assistant with supplemental income, in violation of NCAA
Bylaw 11.3.2.2.
of NCAA bylaws because they are collective Level III violations.

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G.
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES.
[NCAA BYLAWS 12.5.1.1 (2003-04
through 2006-07); 12.5.1.1-(a) (2003-04 through 2005-06); 12.5.1.1-(i) (200405 through 2005-06); 12.5.1.1-(e) (2005-06); 12.5.1.1-(i); 12.5.2.1 (2005-06)
and 12.5.2.1-(a) (2005-06) NCAA Division I Manuals]
Between the 2003-04 and 2006-07 academic years, student-athletes participated in
approximately 12 promotional activities without completing or fully completing
the promotional activity process. Additionally, one student-athlete, working with
the representative, raised funds for a charitable organization when the funds
actually went to a commercial organization. The institution and the enforcement
staff substantially agreed on the facts and that violations of NCAA bylaws
occurred.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding promotional activities.

2.
Over the course of four academic years, student-athletes participated

in promotional activities without properly completing the approval
process and one student-athlete purportedly raised funds for a charity
when the funds went to a commercial organization.
From the 2003-04 through the 2006-07 academic years the institution
permitted student-athletes to participate in promotional activities without
properly approving the activities. Generally, NCAA Bylaw 12.5 limits the
type of organization that can use student-athletes in promotional activities
to member institutions and charitable, educational or nonprofit
organizations.
NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1 further outlines specific requirements that must be
met relating to student-athletes' involvement in promotional activities.
Among other things, student-athletes must receive written approval from
the institution's director of athletics (or designee); all monies derived from
the activity must go to the institution, conference or approved
organization; and the student-athlete and a representative from the
approved organization must sign a release ensuring that the studentathletes' participation will meet bylaw requirements. Additionally, NCAA
Bylaw 12.5.2.1 states that it is impermissible for student-athletes to
receive payment or promote commercial enterprises.
Over the course of four academic years the institution did not properly
ensure that its student-athletes' participation in promotional activities.
Specifically, on approximately 12 occasions student-athletes participated

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in a promotional activity without meeting the requirements of NCAA

Bylaw 12.5.1.1. Some student-athletes participated without the proper
forms being submitted and without the director of athletics approval.
Similarly, other student-athletes participated without executing a release.
Finally, one student-athlete promoted an upcoming basketball tournament
for the representative. The representative did not submit a request for the
student-athlete's promotion and received the money raised. The basketball
tournament was a commercial enterprise.
The institution did not ensure that its student-athletes met the requirements
of NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1 when they participated in promotional activities.
And when student-athletes participated in these events without obtaining
the director of athletics written approval or without signing a release their
participation violated NCAA Bylaw 12.5.1.1. Similarly, when the
student-athlete promoted the representative's basketball tournament, a
commercial enterprise, the student-athletes involvement violated NCAA
Bylaw 12.5.2.1.
of NCAA bylaws because they are collective Level III violations.
H.
OUTSIDE BASKETBALL COMPETITION. [NCAA BYLAW 14.7.2 (200405) NCAA Division I Manual]
In 2005, a women's basketball student-athlete participated in an organized
basketball game outside of intercollegiate competition. The institution and the
enforcement staff substantially agreed on the facts and that a violation of NCAA
bylaw occurred.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding outside competition.

The applicable bylaw may be found at Appendix Two.
2.
The women's basketball student-athlete participated in outside

competition contrary to NCAA legislation when she participated in a
charity basketball game organized by the YMCA.
In 2005, a women's basketball student-athlete impermissibly participated
in a YMCA charity basketball game outside of intercollegiate competition.
NCAA Bylaw 14.7.2 prohibits basketball student-athletes from
participating in organized basketball outside of the permissible playing
season. On March 26, 2005, a women's basketball student-athlete
participated in a charity basketball game organized by the YMCA. The

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YMCA publicized the game in advance with predetermined rosters, kept

an official score and charged admission for attendance. By definition, the
game was an organized basketball competition and the student-athlete's
participation in the game violated NCAA Bylaw 14.7.2.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted a Level III
violation of NCAA bylaws because the violation was isolated and limited.
I.
INSTITUTIONAL
EMPLOYEES
PROVIDING
NON-LOCAL
TRANSPORTATION. [NCAA BYLAWS 16.12.2.1 and 16.12.2.3-(d) (200304 and 2004-05) NCAA Division I Manual]
In early 2004 and spring 2005, two institutional employees provided
impermissible transportation to two student-athletes. The institution and the
enforcement staff substantially agreed on the facts and that a violation of NCAA
bylaws occurred.
1.

2.
Institutional employees provided two student-athletes with

automobile transportation that did not meet the definition of "local"
transportation.
On five occasions in 2004 and 2005, two institutional employees provided
automobile transportation to two student-athletes that the institution
determined exceeded "local" transportation. Generally, NCAA Bylaw 16
prohibits student-athletes from receiving extra benefits.
NCAA Bylaw 16.12.2.3-(d) prohibits institutional employees from
providing student-athletes with transportation outside of, on an occasional
basis, reasonable local transportation. The institution determined that the
transportation provided by the institutional employees did not meet the
definition of "local" transportation. On one occasion, an assistant men's
basketball coach drove a men's basketball student-athlete 45 miles.
Additionally, on four occasions, a member of the institution's football
academic support staff provided transportation to a football student-athlete
totaling 128 miles. When the institutional employees provided non-local
transportation to the two student-athletes, they provided the studentathletes with extra benefits that were specifically prohibited by NCAA
Bylaw 16.12.2.3-(d).

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The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted Level III violations
of NCAA bylaws because the violations were isolated and limited.
J.
FAILURE TO COOPERATE. [NCAA BYLAWS 10.1, 10.1-(a) and 19.2.3

(2013-14) NCAA Division I Manual)]
While working at an NCAA member institution, the academic coordinator
originally declined to cooperate with the enforcement staff. The academic
coordinator eventually submitted to an interview and participated in the hearing.
In both instances, the academic coordinator admitted that she did not originally
participate.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding cooperation.

2.
The academic coordinator's noncooperation when was employed at a

member institution and originally declined to participate in the
enforcement staff's investigation.
For approximately seven months, the academic coordinator failed to
cooperate. In doing so, she failed to uphold her membership obligation to
cooperate with the enforcement staff under NCAA Bylaw 10.1.
NCAA Bylaw 10.1 requires all individuals employed at a member
institution to furnish information relevant to an investigation of potential
violations when requested to do so by the enforcement staff. Failure to do
so is deemed unethical conduct. Similarly, NCAA Bylaw 19.2.3 places an
affirmative obligation on all representatives of member institutions to fully
cooperate and assist in the NCAA's enforcement program.
During its investigation, the enforcement staff identified the academic
coordinator as an individual who potentially had knowledge of studentathlete support provided to the men's basketball student-athletes. At this
time, she no longer worked at the institution. Rather she worked at a
different member institution and sought advice from institutional
representatives unfamiliar with NCAA process. Based on that advice and
her personal discomfort, she repeatedly declined the enforcement staff's
requests to submit to an interview. Later, however, she had a change of
heart. Within a month of the hearing and based on different advice from
institutional personnel, she indicated her willingness to participate. From
that point on, she fully cooperated. She submitted to an interview and, as
it related to her failure to cooperate allegation, participated in the hearing.

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Full cooperation is essential to the infractions process. It is only by full

and complete cooperation that the infractions process works. Because the
academic coordinator did not cooperate with the enforcement staff's
repeated requests she failed to fulfill her membership obligation and
violated NCAA bylaws. Further, her conduct is contrary to the principles
of ethical conduct. The academic coordinator did eventually cooperate.
Although untimely, her eventual cooperation reduces what would
otherwise have been considered a Level I violation. The panel noted that
NCAA Bylaw 19.1.1 Severe Breach of conduct lists failure to cooperate
as an example for a Level I violation. Level I violations seriously
undermine and threaten the integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model. The
cooperative principle is the foundation of the infractions process.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted a Level II violation
of NCAA bylaws because the academic coordinator eventually
cooperated.
K.
HEAD COACH RESPONSIBILITY. [NCAA CONSTITUTION 2.8.1 (200102 through 2011-12) and NCAA BYLAW 11.1.2.1 (2005-06 through 2011-12)
For approximately 10 years, the head basketball coach failed in his
responsibilities to promote an atmosphere of compliance within his program and
monitor the activities of those who reported directly and indirectly to him.
Neither the institution nor the head basketball coach agreed with the enforcement
staff that the head coach failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance and
monitor his staff.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding head coach responsibility.

2.
The head basketball coach failed to promote an atmosphere of

compliance and monitor the activities of his staff when his director of
operations freely committed academic fraud and was involved in
student-athletes receiving academic extra benefits and violations
involving his student-athletes and staff stemmed from their
relationships with the representative.
From the 2001-02 through 2011-12 academic years the head basketball
coach failed in his head basketball coach responsibilities to promote an
atmosphere of compliance within his program and monitor the activities of
the staff that reported directly and indirectly to him with respect to

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student-athlete academics and his staff and student-athlete's interactions

with a representative of the institution's athletics interest. His actions were
inconsistent with NCAA Constitution 2.8.1 and NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1.
NCAA Constitution 2.8.1 requires member institutions to monitor its
programs to assure compliance and identify and report instances of
noncompliance. Previously, the committee has expressly stated that
NCAA Constitution 2.8.1 also applies to individual head coaches and
places an affirmative responsibility on head coaches to monitor their
respective programs. 36 Specifically, the committee previously indicated
that head coaches have a special obligation to monitor the compliance
among their team, coaches, staff and student-athletes. See University of
Kentucky, Case No. M174 (2002) (concluding that the head football coach
"mistakenly relied on the [staff members] integrity to perform those duties
properly and in accordance with NCAA rules and regulations"). More
recently in 2010, the committee affirmed the expectation and
responsibility of head coaches to monitor their programs. See University
of Michigan, Case No. M324 (2010) (indicating, "monitoring rules
compliance in his/her athletics programs is first and foremost the
responsibility of the program's head coach"). That expectation remains
today.
On April 28, 2005, the NCAA membership adopted and placed specific
responsibilities on head coaches outside of NCAA Bylaw 2.8.1.
Specifically, from adoption through the time period of the conduct in this
case, NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1 placed a responsibility on head coaches to
promote an atmosphere of compliance within the coach's program and
monitor the activities of all staff and administrators who reported directly
and indirectly to the coach.
In recent years, the committee has required coaches to affirmatively
promote an atmosphere of compliance, monitor the activities within their
programs and held coaches accountable for the activities of their staffs.
See University of Indiana, Bloomington, Case No. M285 (2008)
(concluding that NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1 places a specific and independent
monitoring obligation on head coaches); University of Connecticut, Case
No. M328 (2011) (concluding that NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1 requires
coaches to recognize potential problems, address them and report them to
36
See also University of Baylor, Case No. M99 (September 19, 1995); University of Louisville, Case No. M119 (November 20,
1996); California State University, Fullerton, Case No. M131 (April 29, 1999); Bucknell University, Case No. M136 (July 15,
1999); University of Missouri, Columbia, Case No. M210 (November 11, 2004) and Long Beach State University, Case No.
M267 (March 6, 2008).

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athletics administration); and University of Miami, Case No. M362 (2013)

(concluding that NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1 holds head coaches responsible
for conduct of staff and requires coaches to seek information related to
potential violations). The panel recognizes that each case is unique;
however, the overarching principles and expectations remain for all head
coaches.
Within that responsibility rested the presumption that head coaches are
responsible for the conduct of all assistant coaches and administrators. 37
That presumption is rebuttable. Here, the head basketball coach failed to
rebut the presumption. The head basketball coach identified general rules
compliance initiatives such as conversations with the director of basketball
operations, assigning staff members as compliance liaisons one of whom
was the director of basketball operations and NCAA rules meetings with
the institution's compliance staff as proactive measures, which promoted
an atmosphere of compliance. In practice, however, the head basketball
coach operated under assumptions and he neglected to inquire and monitor
his staff and student-athletes. The head basketball coach's generalized
statements fail to rebut the presumption. Therefore, the head basketball
coach is accountable for the violations that involved his student-athletes
and staff, occurred in student-athlete academics and resulted from their
interactions and engagements with the representative.
a.
Student-athlete academics
compliance because the head basketball coach's student-athletes
and staff felt comfortable committing academic extra benefit and
academic fraud violations. He shoulders the responsibility of those
staff members and their involvement in this severe violations. In
particular, the head basketball coach is responsible for the actions
of the director of basketball operations, whom he specifically hired
to handle academics.
The head basketball coach acknowledged that his basketball
program was struggling academically and he hired the director of
basketball operations to report to him and solve the problem. At
least initially, it worked. The head basketball coach's program
rebounded academically. Much of that change resulted from the
efforts and involvement of the director of basketball operations.
37
The panel noted that since the adoption of NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1, head coaches have been presumed knowledgeable and
responsible for actions of individuals associated with head coaches' program and whom the head coaches directly or indirectly
supervises.

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Like many of the programs and initiatives at the institution, the

head basketball coach initiated a well-intentioned solution, but he
never verified that the solution operated within the bounds of
NCAA legislation. Similar to the head coach in the University of
Kentucky, the head basketball coach relied on the integrity of the
director of basketball operations and assumed that his conduct
abided by NCAA legislation and failed to monitor the director of
basketball operations' conduct, even though they met on a regular
basis.
When asked about his specific monitoring efforts of the director of
basketball operations, the head basketball coach could not identify
specific steps that he took to monitor the director of basketball
operations. Rather, the head basketball coach indicated that the
director of basketball operations knew the rules. The head
basketball coach indicated that his staff members, including the
director of basketball operations, received rules education, their
offices were in close proximity and they talked daily with the
director of basketball operations bringing any academic issues to
the head basketball coach's attention.
The head basketball coach knew some of his student-athletes
required additional academic assistance or encountered academic
difficulties, but trusted the director of basketball operations to
handle those issues. Specifically, the head basketball coach knew
that student-athlete 7 did not meet academic requirements and
became ineligible. The head basketball coach also knew that the
AMA staff denied student-athlete 7's waiver and subsequent
appeal. Finally, the head basketball coach knew of the January 25,
2012, meeting, the plan for student-athlete 7 to seek a grade
change and that within two days student-athlete 7 secured a grade
change. Throughout this entire time, the head basketball coach
never once inquired or raised any concerns regarding the course of
action or speed in which the student-athlete 7 restored his
eligibility.
While the head basketball coach was not required to conduct a
formal investigation, NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1 required the head
coach to seek additional information regarding the circumstances
surrounding student-athlete 7's grade change. He failed in his
monitoring responsibilities. He did not monitor the course of
action or the manner in which it occurred. He entrusted the
director of basketball operations, the very person who orchestrated

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and committed the academic fraud, to keep him updated about the
progress. Similar to the head coach in University of Miami, the
head basketball coach is responsible for the conduct of his staff.
The head basketball coach is responsible for the director of
basketball operations' conduct.
The head basketball coach also failed to monitor the director of
basketball operations involvement in academics in prior semesters.
As early as the 2010-11 academic year, the director of basketball
operations became aware that the support services mentor engaged
in impermissible academic activities on behalf of men's basketball
student-athletes. There is no information that suggests that the
director of basketball operations or the student-athletes expressed
concerns or reported the impermissible benefits. Conversely,
based on the culture of compliance within the men's basketball
program, these impermissible benefits were accepted, if not
encouraged.
When the head basketball coach failed to monitor the director of
basketball operations and his involvement in the process of
restoring student-athlete 7's eligibility and involvement in studentathletes' academic affairs generally he failed to carry out his
responsibilities as a head basketball coach and violated NCAA
Constitution 2.8.1 and NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1. In total, four men's
basketball student-athletes received varying degrees of
impermissible academic assistance. The director of basketball
operations and the support services mentor were directly involved
in the impermissible assistance. The student-athletes and staff
members knew or should have known that these activities were
contrary to NCAA legislation. The head basketball coach is
responsible for the violations that occurred in his program.
Therefore, the head basketball coach failed in his head coaching
responsibility to promote an atmosphere of compliance because
student-athletes and staff that either directly or indirectly reported
to him committed academic violations of NCAA legislation.
When he failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance, the head
basketball coach violated NCAA Constitution 2.8.1 and NCAA
Bylaw 11.1.2.1.
b.
The representative
The head basketball coach also failed in his responsibilities as a
head basketball coach with respect to his student-athletes' and

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staffs' interaction with the representative. The institution and the

head basketball coach went to great lengths to distinguish the
representative from other "flashy" boosters. Regardless of the
distinction, the institution acknowledged in its response to the
NOA that the he met the definition of a representative. Also
regardless of that distinction, the head basketball coach was aware
of, and with respect to student-athlete 1 encouraged, the
relationships that the representative formed within the head
basketball coach's program. The representative received unique
access to the head basketball coach's program, developed
relationships with the head basketball coach's staff and studentathletes and became the focal point of a series of self-reported
violations involving the head basketball coach's staff and studentathletes. The representative regularly received complimentary
admissions from both student-athletes and staff admissions the
head basketball coach routinely checked. The head basketball
coach knew of the representative, his access and the relationships
he developed within his program. The head basketball coach also
knew that the representative paid men's basketballs student-athletes
but assumed that the payments were appropriate and the
compliance office was aware. The head basketball coach never
raised his concerns with compliance. Previously, when concluding
that a head coach violated NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1, the committee
noted the head coach's awareness of relationships and his failure to
address any concerns with compliance or his staff. See St. Mary's
College of California, Case No. M349, (2013). Again, the head
coach assumed that the representative relationships were
appropriate under NCAA legislation and outside of inquiring
whether the representative was an AAU coach, failed to discuss the
representative with his staff and student-athletes. Irrespective of
the representative's appearance, the head coach had a duty to
ensure that his staffs' and student-athletes' interactions with him
complied with NCAA legislation.
compliance for his student-athletes' and staff's interactions with the
representative. Because the head basketball coach's studentathletes and staff felt comfortable interacting with the
representative and those interactions resulted in a series of NCAA
violations the head basketball coach failed to promote an
atmosphere of compliance within his program. Further, when the
head basketball coach became aware that his student-athletes and
staff engaged in friendships with the representative, the head

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basketball coach had a duty to inquire about and monitor those

relationships. He did not. The head basketball coach failed in his
responsibilities and violated NCAA Constitution 2.8.1 and NCAA
Bylaw 11.1.2.1.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted Level I
violations of NCAA bylaws because many of the underlying
violations were Level I and involved the head basketball coach's
staff members and student-athletes.
L.
LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL. [NCAA CONSTITUTION 2.1.1,

2.8.1 and 6.01.1 (2001-02 through 2011-12) NCAA Division I Manuals]
Over the course of 10 academic years, the institution failed to exercise control and
monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics programs. The institution
did not agree with the enforcement staff that it lacked control and monitoring over
its athletics programs.
1.
NCAA legislation regarding institutional control.

2.
From the 2001-02 through 2011-12 academic years the institution

lacked control and failed to monitor its athletics programs by allowing
violations to occur relating to student-athlete academics, the
institution's written drug policy and how its staff and student-athletes
engaged with community programs and a representative.
For approximately 10 years, the institution failed to exercise proper
control over the administration of its athletics program and employed
deficient monitoring systems, which allowed violations to occur on and
off campus that involved: (1) student-athlete academics; (2) the
institution's compliance with its own drug policy and (3) staff and studentathlete relationships and engagement with the community and a
representative. The institution's cumulative failures over an extended
period of time violated the NCAA Constitution.
Generally, NCAA Constitution 2.1.1, 2.8.1 and 6.01.1 require that each
member institution comply with all rules and regulations of the
Association, monitor its programs to ensure compliance and mandates that
the institution's administration or faculty, or a combination of the two,
exercise control and responsibility over the conduct of the institution's
intercollegiate athletics programs. The institution failed in this regard.

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Recently, the committee emphasized the need for institutions to implement

proper policies, procedures and internal monitoring systems. See
University of Miami, Case No. M362 (2013). In University of Miami, the
committee also stressed the need for those systems to effectively deter and
detect violations. Although University of Miami involved its own unique
set of facts relating to a representative and other institutional violations,
the overreaching principles and measures of institutional control apply to
all member institutions. The panel re-emphasizes the need for effective
systems that monitor, promptly detect and deter potential violations.
Further, when institutional staff members discover potential violations, the
institution must promote a culture where institutional staff members feel
comfortable reporting those discoveries. Additionally, the institution must
adequately educate staff and student-athletes on permissible and
impermissible activities.
Previously, the committee also recognized that maintaining institutional
controls in high-profile programs that involve high-profile student-athletes
present unique challenges to compliance staffs. See University of
Southern California, Case No. 323 (2010). The committee further
cautioned that institutions must closely monitor and follow through on
information when exercising appropriate controls. Although University of
Southern California involved different facts and violations resulting from
representatives' involvement with student-athletes, the heightened controls
and monitoring expectations for high-profile programs and studentathletes applies to all member institutions. In this case, the institution's
men's basketball program performs on the highest level and attracts
premiere student-athletes.
In this case, the institution lacked these systems. Student-athletes and
institutional staff committed violations freely or did not know that their
conduct violated NCAA legislation. Many of those violations went
undiscovered for years. Institutional staff members failed to inquire and
ensure that relationships and activities met NCAA requirements and, in at
least one instance, an institutional staff member failed to report potential
academic violations mindful of potential retaliation. The institution
permitted athletics success to supersede NCAA standards of conduct and
in doing so allowed its athletics programs to operate contrary to the
integrity expected by the Division I membership.
a.
Student-athlete academics
The institution failed to exercise control and monitor the manner in
which student-athlete 7 secured a grade change and, to a lesser

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extent, the manner in which the institution carried out studentathlete support services for men's basketball student-athletes.
Institutional control is defined in common sense terms. The facts
and circumstances surrounding student-athlete 7's grade change
lacked common sense.
The panel understood that proper
motivation existed to initiate the January 25, 2012, meeting
between institutional leadership from academics and athletics. The
meeting was the first of its kind and aimed at exploring appropriate
options for student-athlete 7. At its heart, however, the meeting
focused on restoring his eligibility so that the star player could
return to competition. The institutional leaders present at the
meeting knew that student-athletes 7's waiver and subsequent
appeal had been denied and should have known that any activities
that restored his eligibility would likely be closely scrutinized.
Further, presumably everyone, but at least the athletics leadership,
knew that the enforcement staff was in the middle of an
investigation of the institution and men's basketball program.
Despite this knowledge and the high-profile nature of the men's
basketball program and student-athlete 7, neither the institution's
academics nor athletics leadership proactively monitored or
reviewed the status of student-athlete 7's grade change. They
entrusted the director of basketball operations to inform studentathlete 7 of his options without any follow up. Worse yet, no one
questioned the manner in which student-athlete 7 was able to
secure the grade change to restore his eligibility in only two days
for a course he completed nearly one year earlier. Instead, once
informed that the professor reviewed student-athlete 7's submission
and knowing that the men's basketball team had a competition the
next day, athletics staff tried to ensure that the professor finished
the grade change process prior to the close of business. Athletics
staff members continued to fail to review the circumstances
surrounding the grade change, despite the fact that the College of
Arts and Sciences questioned the grade change's timing and impact
on eligibility.
In this case, appropriate controls and monitoring surrounding the
student-athlete were absent. The institution failed to heed and
employ the monitoring efforts emphasized by the committee in
University of Southern California. The process began with a wellintentioned meeting to discuss permissible options. However, that
process lacked control and monitoring in its execution. Those
responsible for ensuring that the process was executed in

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accordance with NCAA bylaws failed to monitor the studentathlete 7's progress, particularly at a time when the institution
knew or should have known student-athlete 7's eligibility would be
closely scrutinized.
The institution also permitted three football student-athletes and
the part-time tutor to engage in academic fraud. The academic
fraud stemmed from the institution's ongoing relationship with the
YMCA, the representative and the part-time tutor. The institution
failed to provide the part-time tutor with any rules education after
his first year in 1989, which was even then, limited. Further, after
student-athletes 2 and 3 could not fulfill their course requirements
in a timely fashion, the institution did not inquire or monitor the
YMCA's sponsorship of the community service requirements. The
institution's failure to monitor the YMCA's involvement permitted
the part-time tutor and student-athlete 6 to also commit academic
fraud.
Additionally, the institution failed to monitor student-athlete
support services with men's basketball student-athletes and
permitted a culture to exist whereby student-athletes received
impermissible assistance and violations went undetected and
unreported. The director of basketball operations influenced the
culture of academic support for men's basketball student-athletes.
Specifically, at the direction of the director of basketball
operations, student-athlete support services staff operated outside
of its policies and procedures in the support it provided to men's
basketball student-athletes. Student-athlete support services staff
operated contrary to institutional policies and procedures. Staff
members accessed student-athletes network and email accounts to
track student-athletes' academic progress, but also to send emails
and coursework on behalf of student-athletes. Student-athlete
support services staff also operated contrary to NCAA Bylaw 16
when the support services mentor and tutor also provided
impermissible academic assistance to men's basketball studentathletes when they created or revised coursework.
Finally, the culture did not promote reporting potential NCAA
violations without fear of retaliation. The director of studentathlete support services noticed that the support services mentor
and tutor may have been supplying men's basketball studentathletes with impermissible academic assistance. The director of
student-athlete support services raised the concern to colleagues
but failed to report the potential violation to appropriate athletics

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staff members. He feared he would not be taken seriously and

believed that men's basketball received "special treatment." He
also believed that the director of basketball operations was
involved in pushing out a former veteran academic support
employee. Despite these concerns, the director of student-athlete
support services assigned the support services mentor to work with
student-athlete 9. Years later, the institution discovered that the
support services mentor provided both student-athlete 8 and
student-athlete 9 with impermissible extra benefits and later
engaged in academic fraud on with the director of basketball
operations for student-athlete 7.
b.
Drug testing
From 2001 to 2009, the institution failed to follow its written drug
testing policy. The manner in which it engaged in its drug testing
policies and procedures lacked necessary control. Like many of
the other severe violations involved in this case, the institution's
actions regarding its dismissal of the written drug testing policies
and procedures were aimed at preserving student-athletes' ability to
compete for the men's basketball program.
When the institution developed its written drug testing policies and
procedures, it intended to provide its student-athletes with
rehabilitative support.
Each positive drug test included
repercussions and declared the student-athlete ineligible for
intercollegiate athletics until the student-athlete, head basketball
coach or other institutional employee met certain requirements. In
practice, the institution did not follow its written requirements.
Again, basketball culture predominated the written drug testing
policies and procedures. The institution's leadership did not
require the head basketball coach and other institutional personnel
to follow the requirements of the written drug testing policy.
c.
The representative and community activities

The institution fostered a culture that promoted its student-athletes'
participation in community relations, but it failed to control and
monitor student-athletes' activities and the relationships that
stemmed from those interactions. The institution self-reported
violations stemming from community activities or relationships
that the enforcement staff included in six of its 14 allegations.
These violations consisted of student-athletes' relationship with a

March 6, 2015
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representative, student-athletes' involvement in promotional or

community activities and benefits that stemmed from those
relationships and engagements. Many of these interactions would
have been appropriate under NCAA legislation, assuming that the
proper safeguards and monitoring systems are in place.
Unfortunately, the needed safeguards and systems were not
established.
With respect to the representative, the institution did not monitor
his relationships and interactions with its student-athletes. The
representative wore many "hats" that included a former affiliation
with a local AAU team, an individual responsible for teaching or
directing an activity in which a prospect is involved, YMCA
employee, mentor and representative. Each of these roles activated
NCAA legislation and required specific monitoring and, in some
cases, education. When the institution failed to monitor these
interactions and relationships and failed to provide studentathletes, coaches and athletics staff with adequate education,
violations occurred. Specifically, the institution permitted the
representative to provide student-athletes with over eight thousand
dollars in payments, provide athletics staff with benefits and
payments that they did not report as outside income and provided
or arranged for impermissible transportation for student-athletes.
While the numerical value of payments and motivation behind the
relationships may differ, the representative's access to high-profile
student-athletes in a renowned men's basketball program and the
relationships that stemmed from that access parallel the access and
improper relationships in University of Miami. Like University of
Miami, the representative operated in plain view of institutional
personnel and the head coach. Further, institutional personnel
facilitated, supported and encouraged the relationships studentathletes and athletics staff developed with the representative
without appropriately monitoring and without providing adequate
education.
Finally, the panel noted that, at least on the front end, studentathletes, athletics staff and the representative received rules
education about permissible and impermissible activities. The
panel concluded, however, that the rules education was inadequate
because student-athletes, staff and the representative either did not
know the rules or felt comfortable engaging in activities that
violated NCAA legislation.

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With respect to student-athletes' involvement in the community,

the institution failed to control and monitor its student-athletes'
participation in community events. The institution lacked the
proper compliance systems to verify and monitor that studentathletes' involvement with promotional and community activities
met NCAA legislation. In many cases, student-athletes never
filled out forms relating to their participation in such activities. In
other cases, student-athletes partially filled out forms but the
director of athletics failed to certify the student-athletes'
participation with his signature. A proper, well-developed system
for documenting and oversight could have prevented these
violations.
Finally, the institution knew that its student-athletes both
volunteered and participated in community related events because
the institution encouraged that type of involvement. Until 2009,
however, the institution did not conduct site visits at the locations
where student-athletes volunteered, interned or participated.
The institution reported that it "has been, and remains, fully
committed to a vigorous, best-in-class compliance function."
From the 2001-02 through 2011-12 academic years the institution's
control over its athletics program failed to resemble a "vigorous,
best-in-class compliance function."
During that time, the
institution permitted institutional staff, student-athletes and persons
associated with its athletics programs to engage in conduct
contrary to established NCAA institutional policies and
procedures. On a number of occasions, the institution set in
motion initiatives and/or relationships for its programs and studentathletes that appeared to be well intentioned. The intuition failed
to establish proper controls and failed to monitor those activities,
many of which resulted in concluded violations of NCAA
legislation. When the institution lacked the appropriate controls
for and failed to monitor its athletics programs, student-athletes
and staffs, it failed to meet the expectations requirements of
Division I membership and NCAA Constitutional provisions 2.1.1,
2.8.1 and 6.01.1.
The panel concluded that the facts as found constituted Level I
violations of NCAA bylaws because the manner in which the
institution administered its athletics program seriously undermined
and threatened the NCAA Collegiate Model.

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V.
PENALTIES
For the reasons set forth in Sections III and IV of this decision, the panel concluded that
this case involved Level I, Level II and Level III violations of NCAA legislation. Level I
violations are severe breaches of conduct that seriously undermine or threaten the
integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model. Level II violations are significant breaches of
conduct that may compromise the integrity of the Collegiate Model, while Level III
violations are less serious breaches of conduct that are isolated or limited and provide no
more than a minimal benefit or advantage.
Because the violations in this case straddled the implementation of the new penalty
structure, the panel conducted a penalty analysis under both former NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2
and current NCAA Bylaw 19.9 to determine which penalty structure was less stringent.
In considering penalties under the former penalty structure, the panel reviewed past cases
as guidance. In considering the penalties under the new penalty structure, the panel also
reviewed the aggravating and mitigating factors and utilized the new penalty guidelines
(Figure 19-1) to appropriately classify the case and violations. The panel weighed
aggravating and mitigating factors in weight as well as number. This case involved
violations that occurred over a 10-year period. The violations also included deliberate
violations and a willful, blatant disregard for the NCAA constitution and bylaws.
Persons of authority condoned and participated in the wrongful conduct. Additionally,
many of the violations in this case caused ineligibility of the institution's student-athletes.
After considering all information relevant to the case, the panel determined that (i) the
number and nature of the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors with regard
to the institution and (ii) that there are only aggravating and not mitigating factors with
regard to the conduct of the head men's basketball coach. Therefore, the panel classified
this case as Level I Aggravated. Because of the required more stringent core penalties
for a Level I Aggravated case under Figure 19-1, the panel prescribes appropriate
penalties under former NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2.
All of the penalties prescribed in this case are independent and supplemental to any
action that has been or may be taken by the Committee on Academics through its
assessment of postseason ineligibility, historical penalties or other penalties. The
institution's corrective actions are contained in Appendix Three. The panel prescribes the
following:
General Administrative Penalties Prescribed on the Institution
38
1.
Public reprimand and censure.
2.
Five years of probation from March 6, 2015, through March 5, 2020. 38
The panel prescribed a five-year probationary period as a result of the 10-year period in which the institution permitted
violations to occur and lacked control over the administration of the administration of its athletics programs. The panel

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Institutional Penalties Prescribed by the Panel

3.
Pursuant to former NCAA Bylaws 19.5.2-(h) and 31.2.2.3, the institution will
vacate all wins from the academic years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2010-11 and
2011-12 in men's basketball and 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 in football in
which student-athletes 1 through 10 competed while ineligible. This order of
vacation includes all regular season competition, conference tournaments and
NCAA postseason competition. The individual records of the ineligible studentathletes shall also be vacated. However, the individual finishes and any awards
for all eligible student-athletes will be retained. Further, the institution's records
regarding its athletics program, as well as the records of all head coaches, will
reflect the vacated records and will be recorded in all publications in which such
records are reported, including, but not limited to, institutional media guides,
recruiting material, electronic and digital media plus institutional, conference and
NCAA archives. Any institution that may subsequently hire any of the affected
head coaches shall similarly reflect the vacated wins in their career records
documented in media guides and other publications cited above. Head coaches
with vacated wins on their records may not count the vacated wins to attain
specific honors or victory "milestones" such as 100th, 200th or 500th career
victories. Any public reference to the vacated contests shall be removed from
athletics department stationary, banners displayed in public areas and any other
forum in which they may appear. 39 Any trophies awarded by the NCAA in these
sports shall be returned to the Association.
Finally, to ensure that all institutional and student-athlete vacations, statistics and
records are accurately reflected in official NCAA publications and archives, the
sports information director (or other designee as assigned by the director of
athletics) must contact the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics office and
appropriate conference officials to identify the specific student-athletes and
contests impacted by the penalties. In addition, the institution must provide the
NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics office with a written report, detailing
those discussions. This document will be maintained in the permanent files of the
NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics office. This written report must be
prescribed the five-year probationary period to ensure that the Division I Committee on Infractions can monitor the institution's
compliance with the panel's prescribed penalties and its establishment of proper controls. Institutions may propose probationary
periods but the authority to prescribe NCAA probation rests solely with the committee. Periods of probation always commence
with the release of the infractions decision.
39
At the hearing and in its supplemental response, the institution identified 24 men's basketball victories (15 for the 2004-05
academic year and nine for the 2011-12 academic year) and 11 football victories (eight in 2004-05, one in 2005-06 and four in
2006-07) to be vacated. At the conclusion of the hearing, the panel requested that the parties identify all victories in which
alleged ineligible student-athletes participated. The parties provided a list of identified contests in a November 20, 2014,
memorandum. Based on the violations in this case, the panel determined additional vacations were warranted and prescribed
vacations accordingly.

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delivered to the office no later than 45 days following the release of this decision.
The sports information director (or designee) must also inform the Office of the
Committees on Infractions of its submission to the NCAA Media Coordination
and Statistics office. 40
4.
As a result of violations of NCAA legislation student-athletes 1 through 10

became ineligible for competition. Consistent with the fine prescribed for
ineligible student-athlete participation in University of Oklahoma, Case No. M351
(2011), the institution shall pay a fine to the NCAA of $500 per contest played by
student-athletes 1 through 10 when they were ineligible to participate.
5.
Due to ineligible student-athlete participation and consistent with the Division I

Infractions Appeals Committee's January 24, 2000, decision in Purdue
University's appeal, the institution shall return to the NCAA all of the monies it
has received to date through the former Big East Conference revenue sharing for
its appearances in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
that are scheduled to be provided to the institution shall be withheld by the
conference and forfeited to the NCAA. A complete accounting of this financial
penalty shall be included in the institution's annual compliance reports and, after
the conclusion of the probationary period, in correspondence from the conference
to the Office of the Committees on Infractions.
Penalties Prescribed on the Men's Basketball Program

6.
Reduction in Athletics Awards. The total number of athletically related

financial aid awards in men's basketball shall be reduced by three awards during
each of the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years. If the
institution has already executed athletically related financial aid agreements to
prospective student-athletes for the 2015-16 academic year that would prevent the
institution from meeting this penalty, the institution has the option to begin the
penalty with the 2016-17 academic year. If because of already executed financial
aid agreements, the institution chooses to begin this penalty with the 2016-17
academic year, the institution must provide documentation of the date that the
agreement was signed by the prospective student-athletes that prevented the
institution from beginning the penalty with the 2015-16 academic year. 41
7.
Reduction in the number of permissible off-campus recruiters from four to two

beginning June 1, 2015, to May 31, 2017. 42
40
The panel noted that the legislative changes to NCAA Bylaw 19 did not affect NCAA Bylaw 31.2.2.3. Both former and
current Division I Manuals included NCAA Bylaw 31.2.2.3 Participation While Ineligible.
41
The institution proposed the reduction of one total grant-in-aid for men's basketball for one academic year.
42
The institution self-imposed a reduction in permissible off-campus recruiters by one for a six-month period.

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Penalties Prescribed on the Head Men's Basketball Coach's Conduct

8.
Restricted Coaching Activities. The head men's basketball coach failed in his
duty to promote an atmosphere of compliance and to monitor the activities of the
staff who reported directly and indirectly to him. Specifically, after the head
men's basketball coach determined that he needed to improve the academic
performance of his program, the head men's basketball coach hired the director of
basketball operations and appointed him the academic point man for the men's
basketball program. The head men's basketball coach entrusted the director of
basketball operations to improve the men's basketball student-athletes' academic
performance without monitoring the manner in which he conducted his activities.
Ultimately, those activities directly involved academic fraud and indirectly
involved impermissible academic assistance. Further, the head men's basketball
coach was aware but neglected to monitor the growing relationships between his
staff and student-athletes with the representative. Ultimately, those relationships
resulted in violations of NCAA legislation. Therefore, pursuant to former NCAA
Bylaw 19.5.2-(c), the head men's basketball coach shall be suspended from all
coaching duties for the first nine conference games for the 2015-16 season.
The institution that currently employs the head men's basketball coach or any
other employing member institution during the 2015-16 academic year shall
adhere to this penalty and the reporting requirements.
The provisions of this suspension require that the head men's basketball coach not
be present in the arena where the games are played and shall not have any contact
or communication with members of the men's basketball coaching staff and men's
basketball student-athletes during the suspension period. The prohibition includes
all coaching activities for the period of time which begins at 12:01 a.m. the day of
the first conference game and ends at 11:59 p.m. on the day of the game that
constitutes the halfway point of the conference season. During that period, the
head men's basketball coach may not participate in any activities including, but
not limited to, team travel, practice, video study and team meetings. The results
of those contests from which the head men's basketball coach is suspended shall
not count in the head men's basketball coach's career coaching record.
Penalties for the Part-Time Tutor's Conduct

9.
The part-time tutor engaged in academic fraud on behalf of three football studentathletes. He certified that the student-athletes completed activities that they did
not complete. The student-athletes' professor relied on these certifications when
assigning the student-athletes' final grades. The part-time tutor's conduct and
subsequent penalty, however, is mitigated because he was not the direct
supervisor for any of the three student-athletes. He certified the student-athletes'
activities and hours after the YMCA terminated the representative. Further, at the

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time of the internships, the part-time tutor acted as a YMCA employee, not a parttime tutor. As a part-time tutor, however, he is still required to operate under
NCAA legislation. Due to the circumstances surrounding the part-time tutor, the
corrective actions taken by the institution and because an administrative
infractions record of the part-time tutor's violations will be maintained in the
Office of the Committees on Infractions, the panel did not prescribe a show-cause
order. The administrative record of the part-time tutor's violations will be
available to member institutions who inquire into the part-time tutor's infractions
history. See COI IOP 6-4-1 and 6-4-2.
Penalties for the Student-Athlete Support Services Academic Coordinator's Conduct
10.
The academic coordinator originally declined to participate in the enforcement

staff's investigation after she was identified as an individual who potentially
possessed information material to potential NCAA violations. The panel noted
that it is only by the cooperative principle the infractions process is able to
succeed and its importance cannot be understated. Generally, a staff member at a
member institution who fails to cooperate commits a Level I violation and is
subject to Level I penalties. However, the academic coordinator eventually
cooperated. The academic coordinator submitted to an interview and participated
in the hearing. Although untimely, her conduct is mitigated by her eventual
cooperation. Due to her eventual cooperation, and because an administrative
infractions record of the academic coordinator's violations will be maintained in
the Office of the Committees on Infractions, the panel did not prescribe a showcause order. The administrative record of the academic coordinator's violations
will be available to member institutions who inquire into the academic
coordinator's infractions history. See COI IOP 6-4-1 and 6-4-2.
Penalties for the Director of Basketball Operations', the Support Services

Mentor/Basketball Facilities Receptionist's and the Support Services Tutor's
Conduct
11.
The director of basketball operations engaged in academic fraud on behalf of

student-athlete 7 and was involved in the impermissible extra benefits provided to
student-athletes 8 and 9. Due to the circumstances surrounding the director of
basketball operations, the corrective actions taken by the institution and because
an administrative infractions record of the director of basketball operations'
violations will be maintained in the Office of the Committees on Infractions, the
panel did not prescribe a show-cause order. The administrative record of the
director of basketball operation's violations will be available to member
institutions who inquire into the director of basketball operations' infractions
history. See COI IOP 6-4-1 and 6-4-2.

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12.
The support services mentor/basketball facility receptionist engaged in academic

fraud on behalf of student-athlete 7 and provided impermissible extra benefits to
student-athletes 8 and 9. Due to the circumstances surrounding the support
services mentor/basketball facilities receptionist, the corrective actions taken by
the institution and because an administrative infractions record of the support
services mentor/basketball facilities receptionist's violations will be maintained in
the Office of the Committees on Infractions, the panel did not prescribe a showcause order. The administrative record of the support services mentor/basketball
facilities receptionist's violations will be available to member institutions who
inquire into the support services mentor/basketball facilities receptionist's
infractions history. See COI IOP 6-4-1 and 6-4-2
13.
The support services tutor provided impermissible extra benefits to student-athlete

10. Due to the circumstances surrounding the support services tutor, the
corrective actions taken by the institution and because an administrative
infractions record of the support services tutor's violations will be maintained in
the Office of the Committees on Infractions, the panel did not prescribe a showcause order. The administrative record of the support services tutor's violations
will be available to member institutions who inquire into the support services
tutor's infractions history. See COI IOP 6-4-1 and 6-4-2
Penalties Self-Imposed by the Institution

14.
After the infractions hearing, the institution self-imposed a one-year postseason

ban for the institution's men's basketball program. The panel accepted the
institution's self-imposed penalty but noted that self-imposition of penalties after
the conclusion of infractions hearings will not influence outcomes. Therefore, the
institution's men's basketball program shall end its 2014-15 academic year
basketball season with the playing of its last regularly scheduled in-season contest
and shall not be eligible to participate in any postseason competition, including
any foreign tours and conference and/or NCAA tournaments or championships.
Other Administrative Penalties and Measures

15.
During this period of probation, the institution shall:

a.
Continue to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program

on NCAA legislation to instruct coaches, the faculty athletics
representative, all athletics department personnel and all institution staff
members with responsibility for the certification of student-athletes'
eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice or competition;

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16.
b.
Submit a preliminary report to the NCAA Office of the Committees on

Infractions by May 1, 2015, including setting forth a schedule for
establishing this compliance and educational program related to the
violations in this case;
c.
File with the NCAA Office of the Committees on Infractions annual

compliance reports indicating the progress made with this program by
November 1 of each year during the probationary period. Particular
emphasis should be placed on policies and procedures relating to studentathlete academic support and student-athletes' interactions with
community organizations. Additional emphasis should be placed on the
institution's monitoring efforts.
The reports must also include
documentation of the institution's compliance with the penalties adopted
and prescribed by the committee.
d.
Inform prospective student-athletes in the men's basketball and football

programs that the institution is on probation for five years. The institution
shall explain the violations committed. If a prospective student-athlete
takes an official paid visit, the information regarding violations, penalties
and terms of probation must be provided in advance of the visit.
Otherwise, the information must be provided before a prospective studentathlete signs a National Letter of Intent;
e.
Publicize specific and understandable information concerning the nature

of the infractions by providing, at a minimum, a statement that includes
the types of violations and the affected sport programs and a direct,
conspicuous link to the public infractions decision located on the athletic
department's main webpage. The information shall also be included in
institutional media guides and in an alumni publication. The institution's
statement must: (i) clearly describe the infractions; (ii) include the length
of the probationary period associated with the major infractions cases; and
(iii) give members of the general public a clear indication of what
happened in the major infractions cases to allow the public (particularly
prospective student-athletes and their families) to make informed,
knowledgeable decisions. A statement that refers only to the probationary
period with nothing more is not sufficient. The institution may meet its
responsibility in a variety of ways.
At the conclusion of the probationary period, the institution's chancellor shall

provide a letter to the committee affirming that the institution's current athletics
policies and practices conform to all requirements of NCAA regulations.

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17.
In accordance with NCAA Bylaw 19.5.2.7, the NCAA president shall forward a
copy of the public infractions report to the appropriate regional accrediting
agency.
_____________________________________________________
The committee advises the institution that it should take every precaution to ensure that
the terms of the penalties are observed. The committee will monitor the penalties during
their effective periods. Any action by the institution contrary to the terms of any of the
penalties or any additional violations shall be considered grounds for extending the
institution's probationary period, prescribing more severe penalties or may result in
additional allegations and violations.
NCAA COMMITTEE ON INFRACTIONS PANEL

Michael Adams
Britton Banowsky (Chief Hearing Officer)
Thomas Hill
Roscoe C. Howard, Jr.
Joel Maturi
Greg Sankey

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APPENDIX ONE
Case History
On March 21, 2007, this case originated after the institution received information that some of
the institution's student-athletes and coaches received payments from local YMCA employees.
After becoming aware of potential NCAA rules violations, the institution's former chancellor
engaged counsel to investigate the matter and charged counsel with "learning the full truth" with
respect to whether NCAA violations occurred. On October 27, 2010, the institution submitted its
first self-report of actual and potential NCAA violations. 43 On December 2, 2010, the NCAA
enforcement staff issued a written notice of inquiry to the institution.
On September 29, 2011, the enforcement staff issued the original notice of allegations (NOA) to
the institution and part-time football tutor. The original NOA contained 11 allegations. On
December 19 and 20, 2011, respectively, the part-time football tutor requested and then received
a 30-day extension to respond to the NOA. The parties, however, never responded to the
original NOA because on January 9, 2012, the enforcement staff notified the Committee on
Infractions that it needed to conduct further investigation and that would delay an anticipated
hearing. 44 For almost one year, the investigation continued. On December 20, 2013, the
institution submitted its second self-report detailing additional actual or potential violations. On
January 24, 2014, the institution submitted its third self-report. This self-report was substantially
similar to the institution's first self-report, with the latter being a revised self-report. One of the
revisions included a redacted version of the institution's self-reported noncompliance with its
written drug testing policy.
On March 13, 2013, the enforcement staff sent a letter notifying all parties that it would process
the case under the newly adopted NCAA Bylaw 19. Six months later, on September 16, 2013,
the enforcement staff sent a letter to the committee requesting that the case be bifurcated. The
following day, the institution responded requesting further information regarding the bifurcation
issue. On September 30, 2013, and at the behest of the committee chair, the parties conducted a
conference call on bifurcation and state of the case. 45 On the call, the parties indicated that
newer allegations had emerged that required a determination by the institution's internal
academic processes. The following day, the chair sent a letter to all parties denying the
bifurcation request. The chair recognized the need for resolution of on-campus processes.
However, given the investigation's length and the institution's representations, the chair set a
43
The institution later withdrew this self-report.
44
At that time, the Committee on Infractions heard cases as a 10-member body.
45
The committee chair changed on August 1, 2014. Because of his procedural involvement in the case up to that point, the
former chair continued to monitor and usher the case towards resolution in both his role as former chair and later as chief hearing
officer. For purposes of this decision, he is referred to as the "chair" or "chief hearing officer" because those are the positions he
held when he acted on behalf of the committee and the panel.

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timeline to have those processes resolved by early winter 2014. The chair also urged the
enforcement staff to issue an amended notice of allegations as soon as practicable.
On behalf of the chair, the Office of the Committees on Infractions (OCOI) scheduled a second
conference call with all parties regarding the status of the case. The conference call occurred on
March 13, 2014. On the call, the enforcement staff indicated that the institution submitted a third
self-report in January 2014 and that self-report involved new information that required further
investigation as well as additional procedural concerns. The parties agreed to set a new timeline
for an amended NOA to be issued in mid-April 2014. The chair agreed to the timeline and again
urged the parties to move the case toward hearing.
On April 16, 2014, independent from this case the NCAA Legislative Council issued an official
interpretation on academic misconduct. 46 In practice, the interpretation provided that institutions
have the authority to determine whether academic misconduct occurred. The interpretation
indicated, however, that NCAA extra benefit legislation continues to apply regardless of whether
an academic misconduct violation occurred.
On May 6, 2014, the enforcement staff issued an amended NOA to the institution and the parttime football tutor. The enforcement staff also issued the amended NOA to the student-athlete
services mentor and later basketball facility receptionist, the student-athlete support services
academic coordinator, the student-athlete support services tutor, the director of basketball
operations and the head men's basketball coach. On May 16, 2014, the student-athlete support
services tutor submitted a response to the amended NOA, denying involvement in NCAA
violations.
On June 26, 2014, the institution requested a one-month extension for parties to submit a
response to the amended NOA. On July 1, 2014, the chair granted all parties a two-week
extension and set the new deadline for responses for August 18, 2014. The chair also indicated
that a panel of the committee intended to hear the case during the November 6-8, 2014, hearing
dates.
On July 24 and 28, 2014, the director of basketball operations and the student-athlete support
services mentor and later basketball facility receptionist independently notified the OCOI that
they would neither be participating in the infractions hearing nor submitting responses to the
amended NOA. On August 18, 2014, the institution, head basketball coach and part-time
football tutor submitted their responses to the amended NOA. On August 22, 2014, the OCOI
notified all parties of the preliminary committee members that would make up the hearing panel.
The panel consisted of six committee members. The chair was included as the seventh panelist
46
The NOA alleged allegations of "academic fraud." In the 2014-15 Division I Manual and the April 16, 2014, AMA
interpretation, the terminology for violations changed to "academic misconduct." For consistency purposes, the panel refers to
violations as they appeared in the Division I Manual at the time the conduct occurred. The panel also notes that the institution's
policy refers to "academic integrity" violations. In this case, the panel refers to "academic integrity" when discussing the
institution's on-campus review and determinations.

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and appointed the chief hearing officer because he had handled procedural issues and monitored
the case since the original NOA. 47
Between July 31 and August 26, 2014, the institution, part-time football tutor and head
basketball coach expressed conflicts with the proposed November hearing dates. Additionally,
the part-time football tutor requested permission to interview an institutional professor. On
August 28, 2014, the chief hearing officer submitted a letter to all parties addressing a number of
procedural issues. In light of the multiple requests, the chief hearing officer set new hearing
dates for October 30 and 31, 2014. The letter also informed the parties that due to a scheduling
conflict the panel would be modified to include the first alternate. Finally, the letter strongly
encouraged the parties to facilitate the part-time football tutor's interview request.
On September 8, 2014, all parties received appearance letters. On September 25, 2014, the
student-athlete support services coordinator, who had previously declined to participate in the
investigation of the case, sent a letter to the chief hearing officer requesting the ability to
participate in the hearing via videoconference. On September 29, 2014, the chief hearing officer
granted the request.
The following day, September 30, 2014, the enforcement staff submitted its written reply and
statement of the case. That same day the part-time football tutor and institution submitted letters
to the chief hearing officer. The part-time football tutor submitted a timely supplemental
response. The institution submitted a letter requesting that the allegation relating to the
institution's failure to follow institutional drug testing policies and procedures be limited or
modified based on the perceived application of a federal law. On October 6, 2014, the chief
hearing officer denied the institution's request to modify or otherwise limit one of the allegations.
The chief hearing officer noted that the institution "discovered and self-reported" the factual
information related to the allegation. The chief hearing officer further informed the institution
that the panel only hears issues relating to potential violations of NCAA legislation. The letter
confirmed that the panel was informed that all student-athlete specific information had been
removed when alleging the institution's failure to comply with its written drug testing policy.
Finally, the chief hearing officer advised that any discussion at the hearing would be limited to a
general discussion on compliance with the written policy.
On October 7, 2014, the enforcement staff notified the OCOI that the student-athlete support
services academic coordinator indicated her willingness to submit to an interview prior to the
upcoming infractions hearing. Pursuant to COI Internal Operating Procedure 3-12-1, the
enforcement staff indicated that it would provide appropriate notice to the parties.
47
For the remainder of this section, the chair will be referred to as the chief hearing officer because that is the role he performed
for the remainder of the case.

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On October 8, 2014, the OCOI provided all parties with a preliminary record. The OCOI also
notified the parties that a panel member identified a conflict that would prevent him from sitting
on the panel. Pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 19.3.3, a panel of six would consider the case.
On October 22, 2014, the enforcement staff requested the chief hearing officer add the transcript
of the enforcement staff's interview with the student-athlete support services academic
coordinator to the record. The next day and prior to making his decision, the chief hearing
officer sent a letter to all parties requesting their respective positions on the addition and setting a
timeline for any supplemental responses, should the transcript be added. Later that day, the
institution indicated that it did not object to the transcript's admission. No other parties objected
to the transcript's admission. On October 25, 2014, the chief hearing officer admitted the
transcript to the record. None of the parties submitted supplemental responses.
On October 30 and 31, 2014, a six-member panel heard the case. During the hearing, the chief
hearing officer identified a number of submissions that would take place after the conclusion of
the hearing. Those submissions included a supplemental brief from the part-time football tutor,
additional requested information relating to complimentary admissions and ineligible studentathlete participation and an interpretive request from the panel to the AMA staff.
On November 6, 2014, and pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 19.7.8.2, the panel submitted its
interpretative request to the AMA staff and notified all parties. The interpretation posed three
questions. First, whether NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.1 extra benefits may still occur if the institution
determines, pursuant to its own policies and procedures, that the conduct does not violate its
academic integrity policy. The panel also provided five examples of conduct. Second, whether
the April 16, 2014, official interpretation on Academic Misconduct requires deference to an
institution's determination on whether academic extra benefits occurred. Third, whether the
interpretation applies prospectively or retroactively.
On November 6, 2014, the part-time tutor submitted his supplemental brief. On November 10,
2014, both the enforcement staff and the institution informed the OCOI that they would not be
submitting a reply to the part-time tutor's supplemental brief.
On November 12, 2014, the AMA staff responded to the panel's three questions. Specifically,
the AMA staff indicated that impermissible benefits involve "a separate and independent
analysis and is not contingent on whether an institution found that the conduct in question
resulted in a violation of its academic policies." The response also indicated that all five
scenarios presented could establish NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.1 extra benefit violations. The
correspondence also indicated that deference required for academic misconduct does not apply to
whether extra benefits have been provided. Finally, the correspondence indicated that the AMA
staff has provided member institutions with the flexibility to apply the interpretation
prospectively or retroactively. The institution appealed the AMA staff's interpretation to the
Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee (LRIC).

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On November 20, 2014, the enforcement staff submitted the panel's requested information on
victories that involved potential ineligible participation. Similarly, on November 24, 2014, the
institution submitted a document to answer the panel's request for information on the
complimentary admissions provided by the institution to the representative of the institution's
athletics interest.
On December 4, 2014, the LRIC affirmed the AMA staff's determination. Specifically, that
NCAA Bylaw 16.11.2.1 extra benefit violations may still occur regardless of a member
institution's determination on academic misconduct. Additionally, the LRIC affirmed that
deference to a member institution's determination on academic misconduct does not apply to a
determination on whether extra benefits have been provided. The institution appealed the
LRIC's decision to the Division I Legislative Council. On January 8, 2015, the Division I
Legislative Council supported the LRIC's position that extra benefits may still occur if the
institution determines, pursuant to its own policies and procedures, that the conduct at issue does
not violation the institution's academic integrity policy.
On January 30, 2015, the institution submitted the requested information, as well as additional
information related to its decision to self-impose penalties after the infractions hearing. The
chief hearing officer added the information to final record. On March 5 2015, the OCOI
provided the parties the final record.

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APPENDIX TWO
Bylaw Citations
Division I 2001-02 Manual
2.1.1 Responsibility for Control. It is the responsibility of each member institution to control
its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the
Association. The institution's chief executive officer is responsible for the administration of all
aspects of the athletics program, including approval of the budget and audit of all expenditures.
2.8.1 Responsibility of Institution. Each institution shall comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Association in the conduct of its intercollegiate athletics programs. It shall
monitor its programs to assure compliance and to identify and report to the Association instances
in which compliance has not been achieved. In any such instance, the institution shall cooperate
fully with the Association and shall take appropriate corrective actions. Members of an
institution's staff, student-athletes, and other individuals and groups representing the institution's
athletics interests shall comply with the applicable Association rules, and the member institution
shall be responsible for such compliance.
6.01.1 Institutional Control. The control and responsibility for the conduct of intercollegiate
athletics shall be exercised by the institution itself and by the conference(s), if any, of which it is
a member. Administrative control or faculty control, or a combination of the two, shall
constitute institutional control.
10.2 Knowledge of Use of Banned Drugs. A member institution's athletics department staff
members or others employed by the intercollegiate athletics program who have knowledge of a
student-athlete's use at any time of a substance on the list of banned drugs, as set forth in Bylaw
31.2.3.1, shall follow institutional procedures dealing with drug abuse or shall be subject to
disciplinary or corrective action as set forth in Bylaw 19.6.2.2.
14.01.3 Compliance with Other NCAA and Conference Legislation. To be eligible to
represent an institution in intercollegiate athletics competition, a student-athlete shall be in
compliance with all applicable provisions of the constitution and bylaws of the Association and
all rules and regulations of the institution and the conference(s), if any, of which the institution is
a member. Specific attention is called to legislation affecting eligibility in the following areas.
31.2.3.1 Banned Drugs. The following is the list of banned-drugs classes:
(e)
Street drugs: heroin, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)3 Marijuana3 3for marijuana and
THCif the concentration in the urine of THC metabolite exceeds 15 nanograms/ml.

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13.9.1 Entertainment Restrictions. Entertainment of a high-school, college-preparatory school
or two-year college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity
in which a prospect is involved shall be confined to a member institution's campus and shall be
limited to providing a maximum of two complimentary admissions (issued only through a pass
list) to home intercollegiate athletics events, which must be issued on an individual-game basis.
Such entertainment shall not include food and refreshments, room expenses, or the cost of
transportation to and from the campus. It is not permissible to provide complimentary admissions
to any postseason competition (e.g., NCAA championship, conference tournament, bowl game).
An institutional coaching staff member is expressly prohibited from spending funds to entertain
the prospect's coach on or off the member institution's campus.

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16.12.2 Nonpermissible
16.12.2.1 General Rule. The student-athlete shall not receive any extra benefit. The term "extra
benefit" refers to any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the
institution's athletics interests to provide the student-athlete or his or her relatives or friends with
a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation.
16.12.2.3 Other Prohibited Benefits. An institutional employee or representative of the
institution's athletics interests may not provide a student-athlete with extra benefits or services,
including, but not limited to:
(d)
Transportation (e.g., a ride home with a coach), except as permitted in 16.10.1-(e), even
if the student-athlete reimburses the institution or the staff member for the appropriate
amount of the gas or expense.
31.2.3.1 Banned Drugs. The following is the list of banned-drugs classes with examples of
substances under each class:
(e)

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11.2.2 Athletically Related Income. Contractual agreements, including letters of appointment,
between a full-time or part-time athletics department staff member (excluding secretarial or
clerical personnel) and an institution shall include the stipulation that the staff member is
required to provide a written detailed account annually to the chief executive officer for all
athletically related income and benefits from sources outside the institution. In addition, the
approval of all athletically related income and benefits shall be consistent with the institution's
policy related to outside income and benefits applicable to all full-time or part-time employees.
Sources of such income shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
11.3.2.2 Supplemental Pay. An outside source is prohibited from paying or regularly
supplementing an athletics department staff member's annual salary and from arranging to
supplement that salary for an unspecified achievement. This includes the donation of cash from
outside sources to the institution earmarked for the staff member's salary or supplemental
income. It would be permissible for an outside source to donate funds to the institution to be
used as determined by the institution, and it would be permissible for the institution, at its sole
discretion, to use such funds to pay or supplement a staff member's salary.
12.5.1.1 Institutional, Charitable, Educational or Nonprofit Promotions. A member
institution or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, sorority or student government
organization), a member conference or a non institutional charitable, educational or nonprofit
agency may use a student-athlete's name, picture or appearance to support its charitable or
educational activities or to support activities considered incidental to the student-athlete's
participation in intercollegiate athletics, provided the following conditions are met:
(a)
The student-athlete receives written approval to participate from the director of athletics
(or his or her designee who may not be a coaching staff member), subject to the
limitations on participants in such activities as set forth in Bylaw 17. (Revised: 1/11/89,
4/26/01)
13.9.1 Entertainment Restrictions. Entertainment of a high-school, college-preparatory school
or two-year college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity
in which a prospect is involved shall be confined to a member institutions campus and shall be
transportation to and from the campus. It is not permissible to provide complimentary
admissions to any postseason competition (e.g., NCAA championship, conference tournament,
bowl game). An institutional coaching staff member is expressly prohibited from spending funds
to entertain the prospects coach on or off the member institutions campus. (Revised: 4/3/02 )

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16.12.1.5 Occasional Meals. A student-athlete or the entire team in a sport may receive an
occasional meal in the locale of the institution on infrequent and special occasions from an
institutional staff member. An institutional staff member may provide reasonable local
transportation to student-athletes to attend such meals. A student-athlete may receive an
occasional family home meal from a representative of athletics interests on infrequent and
special occasions under the following conditions:
(a)
The meal must be provided in an individual's home (as opposed to a restaurant) and may
be catered.
(d)
(e)
(Revised: 9/6/94)

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income. It would be permissible for an outside source to donate funds to the institution to be used
as determined by the institution, and it would be permissible for the institution, at its sole
organization), a member conference or a noninstitutional charitable, educational or nonprofit

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(a)
(i)
limitations on participants in such activities as set forth in Bylaw 17.
The student-athlete and an authorized representative of the charitable, educational or
nonprofit agency sign a release statement ensuring that the student-athlete's name, image
or appearance is used in a manner consistent with the requirements of this section.
13.9.1 Entertainment Restrictions. Entertainment of a high-school, preparatory school or twoyear college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in
which a prospect is involved shall be confined to a member institution's campus and shall be
transportation to and from the campus. It is not permissible to provide complimentary admissions
to any postseason competition (e.g., NCAA championship, conference tournament, bowl game).
An institutional coaching staff member is expressly prohibited from spending funds to entertain
the prospect's coach on or off the member institution's campus.
14.7.2 Outside Competition, Basketball. A student-athlete who participates in any organized
basketball competition except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition in
accordance with the permissible playing season specified in Bylaw 17.5 becomes ineligible for
any further intercollegiate competition in the sport of basketball (see Bylaws 14.7.3 and 14.7.4
for exceptions and waivers).
(a)
be catered.

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(d)
(e)
10.1 Unethical Conduct. Unethical conduct by a prospective or enrolled student-athlete or a
current or former institutional staff member (e.g., coach, professor, tutor, teaching assistant,
student manager, student trainer) may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(b)
Knowing involvement in arranging for fraudulent academic credit or false transcripts for
a prospective or an enrolled student-athlete.

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11.1.2.1 Responsibility of Head Coach. It shall be the responsibility of an institution's head
coach to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program supervised by the coach and
to monitor the activities regarding compliance of all assistant coaches and other administrators
involved with the program who report directly or indirectly to the coach.
income. It would be permissible for an outside source to donate funds to the institution to be used
as determined by the institution, and it would be permissible for the institution, at its sole
organization), a member conference or a non institutional charitable, educational or nonprofit
(a)
limitations on participants in such activities as set forth in Bylaw 17.
(e)
All moneys derived from the activity or project go directly to the member institution,
member conference or the charitable, educational or nonprofit agency.
(i)

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12.5.2.1 Advertisements and Promotions Subsequent to Enrollment. Subsequent to

becoming a student-athlete, an individual shall not be eligible for participation in intercollegiate
athletics if the individual:
(a)
Accepts any remuneration for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to
advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or
service of any kind.
13.8.1 Entertainment Restrictions. Entertainment of a high-school, preparatory school or twoyear college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in
which a prospect is involved shall be limited to providing a maximum of two complimentary
admissions (issued only through a pass list) to home intercollegiate athletics events at any facility
within a 30-mile radius of the institution's main campus, which must be issued on an individualgame basis. Such entertainment shall not include food and refreshments, room expenses, or the
cost of transportation to and from the campus or the athletics event. It is not permissible to
provide complimentary admissions to any postseason competition (e.g., NCAA championship,
conference tournament, bowl game). An institutional coaching staff member is expressly
prohibited from spending funds to entertain the prospect's coach on or off the member
institution's campus. For violations in which the value of the benefit is $100 or less, the
eligibility of the prospective student-athlete shall not be affected conditioned on the prospective
student-athlete (or the high-school, college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other
individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospect is involved)
repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice. However, the prospective
student-athlete shall remain ineligible from the time the institution has knowledge of receipt of
the impermissible benefit until the prospective student-athlete (or the high-school, collegepreparatory school or two-year coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or
directing an activity in which a prospect is involved) repays the benefit. Violations of this bylaw
remain institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the prospective
student-athlete's (or the high-school, college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other
individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospect is involved)
repayment shall be forwarded to the enforcement staff.

March 6, 2015
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(a)
be catered.
(d)
31.2.3.4 Banned Drugs. The following is the list of banned drug classes. The list is subject to
change and the institution and student-athlete shall be held accountable for all banned-drug
classes on the current list. The current list is located on the NCAA Web site (i.e., www.ncaa.org)
or may be obtained from the NCAA national office.
(e)
Association. The institution's president or chancellor is responsible for the administration of all

March 6, 2015
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__________

current or former institutional staff member (e.g., coach, professor, tutor, teaching assistant,
student manager, student trainer) may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(b)
12.5.1.1 Institutional, Charitable, Education or Nonprofit Promotions. A member institution
or recognized entity thereof (e.g., fraternity, sorority or student government organization), a
member conference or a noninstitutional charitable, educational or nonprofit agency may use a
student-athlete's name, picture or appearance to support its charitable or educational activities or
to support activities considered incidental to the student-athlete's participation in intercollegiate
athletics, provided the following conditions are met:
(i)
13.8.1 Entertainment Restrictions. Entertainment of a high school, preparatory school or twoyear college coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in
which a prospective student-athlete is involved shall be limited to providing a maximum of two
complimentary admissions (issued only through a pass list) to home intercollegiate athletics
events at any facility within a 30-mile radius of the institution's main campus, which must be
issued on an individual-game basis. Such entertainment shall not include food and refreshments,
room expenses, or the cost of transportation to and from the campus or the athletics event. It is
not permissible to provide complimentary admissions to any postseason competition (e.g.,
NCAA championship, conference tournament, bowl game). An institutional coaching staff
member is expressly prohibited from spending funds to entertain the prospective student-athlete's
coach on or off the member institution's campus. For violations in which the value of the benefit
is $100 or less, the eligibility of the prospective student-athlete shall not be affected conditioned
on the prospective student-athlete (or the high school, college-preparatory school or two-year

March 6, 2015
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__________
coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a
prospective student-athlete is involved) repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her
choice. However, the prospective student-athlete shall remain ineligible from the time the
institution has knowledge of receipt of the impermissible benefit until the prospective studentathlete (or the high school, college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other individual
responsible for teaching or directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is
involved) repays the benefit. Violations of this bylaw remain institutional violations per
Constitution 2.8.1, and documentation of the prospective student-athlete's (or the high school,
college-preparatory school or two-year coach or any other individual responsible for teaching or
directing an activity in which a prospective student-athlete is involved) repayment shall be
forwarded to the enforcement staff.
31.2.3.4 Banned Drugs. The following is the list of banned-drug classes. The Committee on
Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (or a designated subcommittee) has the
authority to identify specific banned drugs and exceptions within each class. The institution and
student-athlete shall be held accountable for all banned-drug classes. The current list of specific
banned drugs and exceptions is located on the NCAA Web site (i.e., www.ncaa.org) or may be
obtained from the national office.
(d)
Street drugs

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__________
a member. Administrative control or faculty control, or a combination of the two, shall constitute
institutional control.
a member. A violation of this bylaw that relates only to a violation of a conference rule shall be
considered an institutional violation per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such a violation shall not
affect the student-athlete's eligibility. Specific attention is called to legislation affecting
eligibility in the following areas.
student-athlete shall be held accountable for all drugs within the banned-drug classes regardless
of whether they have been specifically identified. The current list of specific banned drugs and
exceptions is located on the NCAA Web site (www.ncaa.org) or may be obtained from the
NCAA national office.
(e)
Street drugs

March 6, 2015
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__________
a member. A violation of this bylaw that relates only to a violation of a conference rule shall be
considered an institutional violation per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such a violation shall not
affect the student-athlete's eligibility. Specific attention is called to legislation affecting
eligibility in the following areas.
student-athlete shall be held accountable for all drugs within the banned-drug classes regardless
of whether they have been specifically identified. The current list of specific banned drugs and
exceptions is located on the NCAA Web site (ncaa.org) or may be obtained from the NCAA
national office.
(e)
Street drugs

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March 6, 2015
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16.11.2 Nonpermissible.
(Revised: 3/8/06)
10.01.1 Honesty and sportsmanship. Individuals employed by (or associated with) a member
institution to administer, conduct or coach intercollegiate athletics and all participating studentathletes shall act with honesty and sportsmanship at all times so that intercollegiate athletics as a

March 6, 2015
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__________
whole, their institutions and they, as individuals, shall represent the honor and dignity of fair play
and the generally recognized high standards associated with wholesome competitive sports.
current or former institutional staff member, which includes any individual who performs work
for the institution or the athletics department even if he or she does not receive compensation for
such work, may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(b)
16.11.2 Nonpermissible.
current or former institutional staff member, which includes any individual who performs work
for the institution or the athletics department even if he or she does not receive compensation for
such work, may include, but is not limited to, the following:
(a)
Refusal to furnish information relevant to an investigation of a possible violation of an
NCAA regulation when requested to do so by the NCAA or the individual's institution.
19.2.3 Responsibility to Cooperate. All representatives of member institutions have an
affirmative obligation to cooperate fully with and assist the NCAA enforcement staff, the
Committee on Infractions and the Infractions Appeals Committee to further the objectives of the
Association and its enforcement program. The responsibility to cooperate requires institutions
and individuals to protect the integrity of investigations and to make a full and complete
disclosure of any relevant information, including any information requested by the enforcement
staff or relevant committees. All representatives of member institutions have an affirmative
obligation to report instances of noncompliance to the Association in a timely manner and assist
in developing full information to determine whether a possible violation has occurred and the
details thereof.

March 6, 2015
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__________
APPENDIX THREE
Corrective Actions
(As set forth in the institution's January 30, 2015, Supplemental Response)
1.
The institution permitted the director of basketball operations to resign from his position.
2.
The institution terminated the former student-athlete support services mentor/basketball

facility receptionist on January 10, 2013.
3.
The institution transferred the director of student-athlete support services out of the
athletics department.
4.
The institution disassociated the representative, the part-time tutor, student-athlete 1 and
the Rome YMCA.
5.
The institution rescinded student-athlete 3's degree and required student-athlete 2 and
student-athlete 6 to complete additional coursework in order to retain their degrees.
6.
The institution required student-athlete 10 to repay the value of the extra benefit he
received.
7.
In 2013, the institution determined that the student-athlete academic support service will
report only to the provost, rather than jointly reporting to the provost and the athletics
department.
8.
Since fall 2012, the institution has significantly enhanced its student-athlete academic
support services. It has expanded support staff from five to 12 full-time employees;
increased tutoring appointments from 261 appointments per week in fall 2012 to 790
appointments per week in fall 2014; instituted a more intensive and proactive system for
supporting student-athlete academic performance and class attendance; increased
cumulative grade point-average for all student-athletes to 3.06 for spring 2014 (men's
basketball improved from 2.29 in 2011 to 2.78 in spring 2014); and improved the
Academic Progress Rate (APR) for men's basketball to a perfect 1.000.
9.
The office of athletics compliance now reports directly to university general counsel.
Previously, the director of athletics compliance reported to the vice president of business,
finance, and administrative services. This change was made in September 2014.
10.
Additionally, in September 2014, the director of athletics and the university general
counsel formed and now jointly chair an athletics compliance oversight committee. The
committee includes the faculty athletic representative, deputy or senior associate athletic
director, the assistant provost who oversees student-athlete academic support, a

March 6, 2015
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__________
representative from enrollment management, and staff from the Office of Athletics
Compliance. The committee will meet regularly to review the status of athletic
compliance initiatives and to monitor compliance matters and on an additional ad hoc
basis, when matters arise that require immediate attention. The committee's co-chairs
report to the chancellor and to the chair of the athletics committee of the board of
trustees.
11.
The institution has determined that it is appropriate to hire an attorney in the Office of
University Counsel who will have direct responsibility over the Office of Athletics
Compliance and will supervise the director of athletics compliance.
12.
The institution completely revised its Drug Education and Deterrence Program in 2009.
The revisions remove complicated features of the prior policy, improve counseling and
rehabilitation provisions, and increase penalties for non-compliance. An outside firm
collects and tests the samples. The institution is not aware of any violations of the new
policy since 2009.
13.
The institution has implemented enhanced training in areas where violations have
occurred, including routine, mandatory compliance meetings with coaches and studentathletes; rules education through required forms distributed to student-athletes; and
weekly meetings between the Office of Compliance and senior management in the
department of athletics.
14.
The institution also has revised locker room and weight room policies to further restrict
access of community members to student-athletes.

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SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

PUBLIC INFRACTIONS DECISION

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

imposed one-year postseason ban in men's basketball; a vacation of victories in which

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

The Part-Time Tutor and a Representative of the Institution's Athletics Interests

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

early 1980s. The representative's involvement in a variety of organized sports continued

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

At no time during student-athletes' community service and promotional activities through

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

included information furnished by the representative. The NCAA granted student-athlete

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Tutor Statement. Additionally, the institution required tutors to complete a 10-hour

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Specifically, student-athlete 10 received a midterm paper as an assignment. On March

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

IMPERMISSIBLE EXTRA BENEFITS. [NCAA BYLAWS 16.12.2.1 and

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

NCAA legislation regarding extra benefits.

The representative provided impermissible transportation

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

athletes and provided meals to one of those student-athletes.

NCAA Bylaw 16 defines extra benefits. Generally, an extra benefit is any

UNETHICAL CONDUCT: ACADEMIC FRAUD. [NCAA BYLAWS 10.1

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

NCAA legislation regarding unethical conduct.

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

The part-time tutor reported that he assigned the representative as the

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

year misrepresented his final project and received academic credit, he

The director of basketball operations and the basketball facility

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

operations to inform student-athlete 7. Attendees made it clear, however,

Syracuse University Public Infractions Decision

the eligibility waiver, the director of basketball operations and basketball

ACADEMIC EXTRA BENEFITS. [NCAA BYLAW 16.11.2.1 (2010-11 and

NCAA legislation regarding extra benefits.

Over two academic years, two institutional staff members provided