UNC’s Notice of Allegations: What Does This Mean?
UNC just released it’s notice of allegations today to the public. Today, KIH discusses how does this affect the University and where they go from here.
As most of you are aware, North Carolina recently released its notice of Allegations it received from the NCAA back on May 20th. The allegations themselves, 59 pages long after redactions for privacy and other laws (which is the main reason we are just now receiving them ourselves), contain 5 potential level one severity violations that in turn could do great damage to the University. UNC now has ninety days from the day they received the allegations to respond and challenge what has been alleged, before any other actions by the NCAA will be taken.
The five allegations are impermissible benefits to student athletes (which includes references to at least 8 different athletic programs in both Men’s and Women’s sports), impermissible and special benefits to student athletes in the women’s basketball program by Jan Boxill (the only sport to get a specific violation on its own), 2 counts of violated ethical conduct for refusing to cooperate by Deborah Crowder and Julian Nyang’oro (two counts that should have little to no effect on the University), and a lack of institutional control (which is referred by some as the Angel of Death and specifically references the Women’s and Men’s basketball and the football programs). Added to all of this, North Carolina is viewed as a repeat offender, though we do get points for being cooperative with the process.
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So what does all this mean for North Carolina? First I think it is important to note that no penalties have been issued so speculation there is just that. Based on recent events, there is a possibility that postseason bans, loss of wins and championships, and scholarship reductions are coming down particularly on the Women’s and Men’s Basketball programs and the Football program, though this definitely raises questions on whether the football team has already been punished for these crimes in the previous sanctions handed down.
However, there is some good news from all of this. First, this process is not getting settled anytime soon. This means that this season, particularly the Men’s Basketball team, will probably not get effected by this scandal. Though post seasons have been canceled midseason, it is usually done by the program in attempt to lessen future penalties than by the NCAA themselves who normally dole out future penalties. Based on earlier occurrences, UNC is not likely to dole out such penalties particularly on a potential National Championship winning basketball team (Remember — Syracuse’s self-imposed postseason ban came after they had little chance to make the tournament anyways).
Secondly, the broadness of the allegations, along with the cooperation of the University, seems to at least open up the possibility for some lenience by the NCAA in this matter.
Third, Roy Williams name is only mentioned once and it was only to say he had concerns about the number of student athletes involved in these questionable courses, a fact that should keep him from being suspended (unlike Jim Boeheim).
Finally, even though I still don’t believe the NCAA has any jurisdiction in this clearly academic scandal, at least an end to this whole mess seems to finally be on horizon.
Though the outcome may not be favorable to UNC, an outcome is still better than where we were a few weeks ago, waiting in limbo and closure is something we can all use on occasion.