Another academic scandal; UNC is f-cked

[Big Circus]

Could UNC be in trouble with the DOE or whatever organization handles accreditation for universities in that part of the country? Not saying this isn't an NCAA issue but it sounds like it might be more than that if non-athletes were taking advantage of this too.

UNC's primary accreditation is by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which would be exceedingly unlikely to do anything about such a small issue (relative to the size of the university). Organizations like SACS care way the heck more about process than they do outcomes. In this instance, the processes were obviously lacking, but that is being addressed going forward.

On the other hand, though, if they did lose their accreditation, papers could use the headline "SACS to the Face". Which would be awesome.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Could UNC be in trouble with the DOE or whatever organization handles accreditation for universities in that part of the country? Not saying this isn't an NCAA issue but it sounds like it might be more than that if non-athletes were taking advantage of this too.

UNC's primary accreditation is by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which would be exceedingly unlikely to do anything about such a small issue (relative to the size of the university). Organizations like SACS care way the heck more about process than they do outcomes. In this instance, the processes were obviously lacking, but that is being addressed going forward.

We're assuming this was the only department where this was happening though.

And wasn't this professor pretty much the entire department?

 

[tarheelgamecock]

The latest, from tomorrow's print edition...

UNC's Naval Weapons Systems class attracted basketball players
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/02/2386415/naval-weapons-systems-class-at.html

 

[Batman]

The latest, from tomorrow's print edition...

UNC's Naval Weapons Systems class attracted basketball players
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/02/2386415/naval-weapons-systems-class-at.html

The details of that class sound like a young teacher doing a really half-assed job because he was working on his own degree, more than a conspiracy to keep athletes eligible.

When I was in college (late 1990s), I took two freshman-level astronomy classes as electives. My professor for both classes was a guy who seemed way more into the research aspect of his position than teaching Astronomy 1001 and 1002. Toward the end of the first semester, he told us we wouldn't need the textbook for the second semester. He wrote all his notes on the chalkboard and the multiple-choice tests were based off that.
His Astronomy 1002 final exam was, I shirt you not, a 10-question multiple choice test with one insanely easy essay. It included such brain stumpers as "What is the largest planet?" and "What planet is known as the Red Planet?"
I finished it in 10 minutes, and that's because I checked it over twice. I wasn't even the first one out the door.
The next year, I suggested the class to a friend of mine. He got a different professor who was insanely difficult -- homework, tests based on huge chunks of the textbook, long essay questions and papers, the works. He quickly transferred to my guy and got an easy A.

I guess the point of all this is, every school has easy professors. Word gets out about them and people take them to boost their GPAs. Just because these basketball players found one doesn't mean it was some vast conspiracy. Other areas of UNC's scandal smell way worse than the Naval Weapons class.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I think a Naval weapons class would be kickass fun.

 

[doctorquant]

The latest, from tomorrow's print edition...

UNC's Naval Weapons Systems class attracted basketball players
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/10/02/2386415/naval-weapons-systems-class-at.html

The details of that class sound like a young teacher doing a really half-assed job because he was working on his own degree, more than a conspiracy to keep athletes eligible.

...

I guess the point of all this is, every school has easy professors. Word gets out about them and people take them to boost their GPAs. Just because these basketball players found one doesn't mean it was some vast conspiracy. Other areas of UNC's scandal smell way worse than the Naval Weapons class.

Let me say that this smells as bad as anything I've heard about in the UNC scandal. The things that make me think this is really bad are: 1) The basketball players' academic counselor steered them toward this particular course/instructor; 2) this counselor came from Kansas with Roy Williams; and 3) over the last six years this section of this course was the only one in which basketball players were enrolled.

I think this is very powerfully suggestive of a conspiracy to keep athletes eligible. How in the heck did the word get out that this instructor, who taught it only once, would be the guy to get? It almost has to be the case that this sweetheart course was set up beforehand, with the full knowledge/participation of the basketball program.

 

[Armchair_QB]

It looks shady as heck - and probably is - but as Batman mentioned, it's not uncommon for non-athletes to do this as well. Word travels fast on a college campus.

UNC is probably worried that this will expose a shirtload of other professors who are teaching lay-up courses that students AND student-athletes are taking advantage of. For all the talk of what a great school it is, it's not the Harvard of the South. It's still just another state university.

And I will reiterate that spending a semester studying how the Navy blows shirt up sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[JosephC.Myers]

I think a Naval weapons class would be kickass fun.

Even though I'm an Army guy, I do think it'd be an interesting class to take.

 

[doctorquant]

It looks shady as heck - and probably is - but as Batman mentioned, it's not uncommon for non-athletes to do this as well. Word travels fast on a college campus.

UNC is probably worried that this will expose a shirtload of other professors who are teaching lay-up courses that students AND student-athletes are taking advantage of. For all the talk of what a great school it is, it's not the Harvard of the South. It's still just another state university.

As much as I find UNC types to be off-putting when their university is being discussed, that university is not, as you put it, "just another state university." It is one of the world's great universities, public or private.

To your point about what else might be uncovered, I came across this post today on a Chronicle of Higher Education thread re: the UNC scandal:

[UNC types] should be happy they didn't look at the Geography program. It was well known that the department had a requirement that all professors had to provide a copy of their exams with answers to the athletic tutors at least 1 week before the exam so they could help the athletes "prepare". i guess that is one way to keep your geography program alive.

BTW, Michael Jordan majored in "cultural geography."

 

[JosephC.Myers]

As much as I find UNC types to be off-putting when their university is being discussed, that university is not, as you put it, "just another state university." It is one of the world's great universities, public or private.

To your point about what else might be uncovered, I came across this post today on a Chronicle of Higher Education thread re: the UNC scandal:

[UNC types] should be happy they didn't look at the Geography program. It was well known that the department had a requirement that all professors had to provide a copy of their exams with answers to the athletic tutors at least 1 week before the exam so they could help the athletes "prepare". i guess that is one way to keep your geography program alive.

BTW, Michael Jordan majored in "cultural geography."
[/quote]

Can't say that I'm that shocked by this. Just goes to show how shady college sports can be and is these days.

 

[da man]

As much as I find UNC types to be off-putting when their university is being discussed, that university is not, as you put it, "just another state university." It is one of the world's great universities, public or private.

To your point about what else might be uncovered, I came across this post today on a Chronicle of Higher Education thread re: the UNC scandal:

[UNC types] should be happy they didn't look at the Geography program. It was well known that the department had a requirement that all professors had to provide a copy of their exams with answers to the athletic tutors at least 1 week before the exam so they could help the athletes "prepare". i guess that is one way to keep your geography program alive.

BTW, Michael Jordan majored in "cultural geography."

Can't say that I'm that shocked by this. Just goes to show how shady college sports can be and is these days.
[/quote]

"These days?" That stuff has been going on since St. John's College halfback John McNally was secretly playing pro football under the name of Johnny Blood.

 

[waterytart]

And I will reiterate that spending a semester studying how the Navy blows shirt up sounds like a lot of fun.

FINAL EXAM:

Which is the harpoon? Which is the torpedo?