UNC reviews academic support for student athletes

As University administrators craft a response to the NCAA’s notice of allegations, mixed reactions have poured in from students and faculty.

But one view has been widely held — things could be worse.

“Within the broad range of what it could have been, I thought it was sort of in the middle,” said Steve Reznick, a psychology professor and chairman of the faculty athletics committee, a University committee charged with advising Chancellor Holden Thorp on the operation of the athletic program.

“They did not find a culture of corruption, they did not find any reason to criticize (head football) coach (Butch) Davis for having done something wrong,” he added.

But as administrators prepare to appear before the NCAA for a hearing on Oct. 28, a group of faculty is writing a report that will recommend changes to the academic support system for student athletes at UNC.

The report is still in the drafting stage, and will be completed later this summer, said Bobbi Owen, senior associate dean for undergraduate education in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Owen and John Blanchard, senior associate athletic director, are in charge of the group drafting the report.

Blanchard said the work, which began in November, is more than halfway done.

Owen and Blanchard would not comment on recommendations featured in the report.

“It’s in draft form, and I’m not willing to share it until all committee members have had a chance to weigh in on it,” Owen said.

UNC’s academic support system for student athletes has been in the spotlight lately, as the allegations revealed tutor Jennifer Wiley provided $3,500 of extra benefits to football players.

“I don’t know her and I don’t know what her motivation is,” Reznick said. “I’d like to think she was trying to help… I think the report makes it clear she was doing this independently.”

While revelations of the investigation have played a part in the formation of the report, Owen said, the original motivation for the report came from plans to move the academic support program to the new Center for Student-Athlete Excellence at Kenan Stadium.

While the report will outline modifications, Reznick said, UNC’s academic support system has remained sound throughout.

“(People who don’t like UNC) just started filling their guns with acorns and shooting at us,” he said. “Now what this (notice of allegations) shows (is) it was acorns. It was not bullets.”

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