Mary Cunningham, a faculty counselor at the University of North Carolina, went public in November 2012 that a number of basketball and football players at UNC were not prepared to do college work. In her thesis she found that from approximately the sixth grade these young men were recognized as dominant athletes by their teachers and were routinely passed from grade to grade in the state school system. Some stated they had never read a book and never written a paragraph. They were admitted into UNC as"Special Admits" for the football and basketball teams.
Following publication of her thesis paper, Williingham's motivation and honesty were under scrutiny from all directions. The university did not sit down with her to discuss the issues, so she filed an 80 page employment grievance report. The NCAA is now investigating these charges, and academic fraud is a big part of the investigation. Willingham is under great pressure from the university and the state, but she is pressing forward with support from the athletes. She certainly deserves a bonus award for blowing the whistle on more college athletic problems, but there is grave question where the award should come from. UNC will lose money, vice gain it, and the state government is not likely to come forward. Hopefully the Department of Education in the Federal Government will step forward and compensate Mary Cunningham accordingly.
Mary Cunningham, a faculty counselor at the University of North Carolina, went public in November 2012 that a number of basketball and football players at UNC were not prepared to do college work. In her thesis she found that from approximately the sixth grade these young men were recognized as dominant athletes by their teachers and were routinely passed from grade to grade in the state school system. Some stated they had never read a book and never written a paragraph. They were admitted into UNC as"Special Admits" for the football and basketball teams.
Following publication of her thesis paper, Williingham's motivation and honesty were under scrutiny from all directions. The university did not sit down with her to discuss the issues, so she filed an 80 page employment grievance report. The NCAA is now investigating these charges, and academic fraud is a big part of the investigation.
Willingham is under great pressure from the university and the state, but she is pressing forward with support from the athletes. She certainly deserves a bonus award for blowing the whistle on more college athletic problems, but there is grave question where the award should come from. UNC will lose money, vice gain it, and the state government is not likely to come forward. Hopefully the Department of Education in the Federal Government will step forward and compensate Mary Cunningham accordingly.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-27/in-fake-classes-scandal-...