UNC officials appear headed toward creating an outside panel to look into the academic fraud case that has now drawn significant national attention.
Former Gov. Jim Martin has apparently been asked to serve on the panel. When asked this morning, he didn't deny it. His response: "You are on your toes."
He said he expected an announcement about the panel later today.
The academic fraud involves at least 54 classes in which there was little or no instruction, and dozens of independent studies that showed little accountability. All were courses within the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, but university officials say the only two culpable people in the case are the former chairman, Julius Nyang'oro, who was forced to retire in July, and a former department manager, Deborah Crowder, who had retired in 2009.
The university's internal probe covered the period of 2007 to 2011, but new evidence suggests the fraud may have gone back to the late 1990s. A 2001 test transcript we found on UNC-CH's website and published in Saturday's paper -- because it shared many similarities with the no-show classes and independent studies -- appears to be that of former UNC football and basketball player Julius Peppers.
Rival N.C. State University fans dissected the web address for that test transcript to find a link to what appears to be the real one. UNC-CH officials have only said the transcript appears to be real, but they can't discuss it because of a federal privacy law for education records.
A former chemistry professor at Davidson College, Martin was governor for two terms from 1985 to 1993. He also served a term on the UNC Board of Governors.
The university has been under pressure from faculty and others to set up an outside independent investigation of the scandal. It is unclear exactly what duties this planned panel will have.
UNC-CH officials could not be reached.
Dan Kane has covered local and state government and N.C. State University at The News & Observer since joining our staff in 1997. Most recently, he and J. Andrew Curliss teamed to report “The Missing Money,” a three-part series that explored the state's growing number of tax breaks and the related rising revenue loss. Kane's reporting also exposed one of the worst academic fraud cases in U.S. higher education history at UNC-Chapel Hill. Contact him at
Comments
Panel Members
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:17 — alabamao68Please, please. UNC, appoint Carl Carey Jr. to this panel. He makes more sense than anyone else I've seen quoted in this case. And for increased credibility, how about Dan Kane?
And that is the problem: Not
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:16 — andy65And that is the problem: Not that Carolina has Jock-Sniffing Professors, but that Carolina has empowered Jock-Sniffing Professors to unfairly give itself a significant competitive advantage over their fellow ACC and NCAA members.
Of the 54
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:09 — andy65Of the 54 ‘suspect’ classes identified by UNC from ‘07 to ‘11, 2 of ‘em had an enrollment of only 1 basketball player. Was that a member of the 2009 title team? Do tell. :p
How out of touch can you
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:03 — philaheelHow out of touch can you people be? You lost your right to create a panel long ago. Maybe the governor or the attorney general could create a panel or hire a firm with Louis Freeh like credentials, subpoena powers, and even criminal prosecutorial powers. UNC has no more authority to create a panel than Jerry Sandusky does to investigate himself.
Where are you Cooper and Perdue? The resignations need to start with members of the BOG and go down through the entire administrative structure at UNC. Why aren't they being demanded? Why do these people get a pass when the rest of us would be axed for malfeasance much smaller than this? This has gone on since the late 1990s! For around 15 years it appears.
All the sports involved in this, including football and basketball, must be shut down. You idiots have made our alma mater a laughing stock. You have brought shame on our state. Like an alcoholic, you need to stop trying to hide and ask for an outside panel, which you have no role whatsoever in forming, that will find all the rot and corruption and clean it out, including you yourselves. Stop the cya.
Longer than that
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:09 — rearlkempI wish it was limited to the last 15 years. And I wish it were limited to UNC-CH but I think we all know better.
Hey guys
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:53 — rearlkempThe whole announcement is on UNC's home page with details.
Investigatee picking investigator?
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:22 — nctravellinmanThe breadth and depth of corruption at UNC-CH* is astounding; unlike any seen before. From the Board of Governors, starting with former Chair Hannah Gage, all the way through Thorp & his cronies, they have lied, lied, and misled when they didn't flat out lie for 2 years now. They continue to hand out multimillion dollar "retirement packages" to both get rid of culprits and buy their silence. Retirement packages primarily funded by our hard earned tax dollars. At this point, the entire staff, and now spreading like a metastacized cancer into the faculty, have ZERO credibility. And they all seem totally oblivious to that. Bring in Dr. Frank Perry from reportpubliccorruption dot org.
Unless....
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:17 — AgentPierceUnless the panel included 5-6 of the most rabid "anti-UNC serial posters" here, those serial posters will automatically debunk it's findings. Fortunately "reactions from the N&O comment boards" don't much matter in the real world.
As UNCCH has proven multiple
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:14 — hdog007As UNCCH has proven multiple times during this scandal: Self defeating investigations never work (hmmmm, I wonder why?). It's time for an independent investigation. The biggest CHeating scandal in college history deserves it.
"Fortunately "reactions from the N&O comment boards" don't much matter in the real world."
You wish that were true. That would be a nice little self fulfilling prophecy for you. Fact is, your un-educated Walmart fans get on those threads and try to attack others, and then the wuffies respond and the hits just keep going up and up, and so the N&O digs deeper and deeper. A smart CHeat fan would keep their mouth shut until this blows over (which won't be anytime soon it appears).
If you want credibility.
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 15:56 — AnsonBearcatNo. Just hire someone like Dr. Frank Perry (former FBI agent) and let him assemble his team. Instant credibility for both the investigation and the results. Here is a link to his organization.
http://www.reportpubliccorruption.org/our-people.html
Why isn't UNC CH accreditation being reviewed? Smells BAD
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 13:57 — MickeyGacAcademic fraud should immediately require a review of all accreditation items and possible loss of accreditation. Of course won't happen have to protect the "flagship" no matter what they do.
Same reason the NCAA won't
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:15 — hdog007Same reason the NCAA won't act. Gotta protect their cash cow...
(No subject)
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 13:23 — ciscopackInstant Classic
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 16:01 — hdog007Instant Classic
The UNC foxes should have
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 13:23 — ProwlingWoofieThe UNC foxes should have nothing to do with appointing anyone to an outside panel to investigate the happenings in the henhouse. That defeats the purpose of an outside panel... Duh...
Where's Commissioner Swofford on this (crickets, crickets) ?
Where's Mark Emmert (more crickets) ?
Speed demons
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 13:04 — disgusted01UNC "appears to be moving" towards setting up a panel to investigate years after these issues surfaced. Reminds me of the little kid who hates school dragging his feet on the way.
It's just astonishing how reluctant they are to "protect the brand," as Bowles urged.
UNC athletic-academic corruption
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:45 — igliigliThe athletic-academic fraud will continue until the power of the coaches and the Rams Club is broken. And the only way to break their power is to shut-down the entire UNC Athletic Department.
Independent?
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:22 — AnsonBearcatA former member of the UNC Board of Governors is not "outside" the system. Louis Freeh, or someone similarly qualified, should head this inquiry.
Hallelujah
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 12:13 — keihinI thought this day would never come. Assuming this panel does it's job, we may finally get to the bottom of the system of academic fraud at UNC-CH.