UNC-System board to talk NCAA

The UNC-system Board of Governors might have to step in if University administrators are unable to handle the ongoing investigation into UNC’s football program, said the board’s chairwoman Hannah Gage.

Gage said that while the investigation is not on the agenda for their upcoming meeting on Thursday and Friday, board members might address questions related to the investigation.

UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp and Athletic Director Dick Baddour are expected to travel to Wilmington to attend the education planning committee meeting on Thursday, Gage said.

“There is not a planned discussion of the UNC athletic issue at this meeting, but we have the annual athletic report, which is when we look at the results of the past year,” Gage said.

“Because of that there is a strong possibility of discussions.”

Gage said it is unusual for the board to get involved in athletic issues, but if there was a lack of confidence in Thorp and Baddour’s leadership, they would be forced to get involved.

“Don’t anticipate involvement happening now,” Gage said. “Their presence is for the board to ask them questions and have a conversation in person.”

Many board members say they approve of the University’s handling of the situation so far.

“Obviously the whole situation is unfortunate. These things are always an embarrassment for the campus and athletic department,” said Burley Mitchell, member of the board’s educational planning, policies and programs committee.

“We are hopeful that this doesn’t do any damage to the athletic department or the institutions,” he said.

The integrity of UNC’s football program first came into question when the NCAA began investigating two UNC seniors, defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little, and their improper relations with an agent.

A few weeks later, the University reported possible academic misconduct between student athletes and a former University mentor.

As a result of the investigations, 13 players were ruled ineligible to play in last Saturday’s game against Louisiana State University.

In a letter to the board, UNC-system President Erskine Bowles said Thorp, Baddour, UNC-CH football coach Butch Davis and an investigative team were working together to get all of the facts.

“The University, under the leadership of our chancellor, will continue to investigate this matter and to take appropriate action until we are sure we have gotten to the bottom of this and done everything possible to make sure it never happens again,” Bowles said in the letter.

“We cannot make any judgements until all of the facts are known. Clearly they are not all known,” Davis said.

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.