North Carolina
Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
By Erin Summers Sep 11, 2010
Friday marked the first meeting of the year for the University of North Carolina Faculty Council. This was the first chance for Chancellor Holden Thorp to address the faculty directly about the investigation into the football program.
“I’m sorry that we are in this position,” Thorp said to the room full of faculty members who pride themselves on the high academic standards of the university.
“What I worry about is the value of the degree,” former faculty chair Joe Templeton said.
Thorp says university officials were extremely concerned about the NCAA investigation into football players getting improper benefits from agents, but the allegations of cheating later uncovered took the concern to a whole new level.
“Our academic integrity is more important to us than winning any football game,” Thorp said.
One faculty member asked if Carolina's quest to be an elite football program was interfering with its academic goals.
“It seems to me there is still a danger of the tail wagging the dog,” faculty member Steve Bachenheimer said.
Thorp says he's weighing those types of perceptions as the investigation moves forward.
He also talked about the more than three months pay given to former coach John Blake, who resigned on Sunday. Thorp says the pay is consistent with other non-faculty members who leave the university.
Templeton says he's confident that the chancellor and the rest of those involved in the investigation will protect Carolina's name.
“I’m optimistic we will come out of this with the value of the degree intact and possibly higher if we respond entirely appropriately,” Templeton said.
After the Board of Governors meeting Friday, UNC president Erskine Bowles said he's confident Chapel Hill can have a top-rate football team while maintaining the school's academic integrity and that the university can learn from the crisis.
“I want us to have a culture. I want us to have the processes in place. I want us to have the supervision in place that this never happens again. And I think it’s not impossible by any stretch of the imagination to have a first-rate program and to do it right,” Bowles said.
The eligibility of the 13 players who sat out for the game against LSU remains unclear, and those found to be involved in the infractions could go before the university honor court, Thorp said.
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Most Recent Comments
RE: Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
Wake up --
http://www.caveon.com/resources/cheating_statistics.htm
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2003/09/09-17-03tdc/09-17-03dnews-02.asp
http://www.glass-castle.com/clients/www-nocheating-org/adcouncil/research/cheatingfactsheet.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-06-17-cellphones-in-class_N.htm
This is a nation-wide problem, but "student"-athletes are always attacked as the terrible exceptions.
RE: Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
One last comment. Some of the players will be found innocent and I think we are about a week from some of the falsly acussed players to hire an attorney.
- Posted by hopkinsjc
Didn't Greg Little hire a CRIMINAL attorney to help him out? Seems a little strange to me.
RE: Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
"Our academic integrity is more important to us than winning any football game," Thorp said.
Prove it. Call for an independent investigation of the academic issues.
I honestly think having the NCAA do the investigation is the best thing. It can never be said that they found something and swept it under the rug. Having an outside authority investigating keeps it fair and impartial.
It took nine pages of posts, but someone FINALLY got the point I was making.
Thank you!!!!!
RE: Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
"Our academic integrity is more important to us than winning any football game," Thorp said.
Prove it. Call for an independent investigation of the academic issues.
Do you ever STFU?
Leo....I have just read a few of your comments. But, it will be a hard road to keep TBK down. I sent him a message on the rule of college football in regard to the on side kick, and he didn't return a thank you, nor a response. That's the last one I will send.
Think about this. I respond to everything! (How do you think I reached 12k+ posts!) Surely you must realize that if I didn't respond, then I didn't see it. Apologies for any confusion.
Where did you send me that message?
RE: Faculty Council shares concerns about UNC football
"Our academic integrity is more important to us than winning any football game," Thorp said.
Prove it. Call for an independent investigation of the academic issues.
Do you ever STFU?
Why don't you SMFD?
Rank: Bench Warmer 
Rank: 
