November 14, 2017
Carolina posts SACSCOC letter to Chancellor Folt clarifying position on NCAA findings
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted a letter from SACSCOC clarifying its position on the NCAA’s findings.
October 13, 2017
Message from Chancellor Carol L. Folt on NCAA decision
Today, we received the decision from the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions in our case resulting from academic irregularities that ended more than six years ago. The hearing panel found no NCAA bylaw violations by the University. We believe this is the correct—and fair—outcome.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted new correspondence from and to the NCAA in conjunction with responding to public records requests filed under the North Carolina Public Records Act.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has released its response to the NCAA’s third notice of allegations resulting from the joint investigation of past academic irregularities.
April 25, 2017
University releases additional NCAA correspondence
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted more correspondence sent to and received from the NCAA and its Committee on Infractions in conjunction with responding to public records requests.
December 22, 2016
Carolina comments on, releases NCAA’s third notice of allegations
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted new NCAA communications about the joint investigation of academic irregularities. The postings, which respond to public records requests, are: a letter from the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions about the University’s arguments for a hearing; a third notice of allegations issued by the NCAA’s enforcement staff; and the University’s response to the infractions panel chair about those developments.
October 25, 2016
UNC-Chapel Hill posts additional NCAA correspondence
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted more correspondence sent to and received from the NCAA and its Committee on Infractions that have been released in response to public records requests.
September 30, 2016
UNC-Chapel Hill releases NCAA letter about next steps in case process
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted a letter from the NCAA notifying all parties about the next procedural step in addressing the amended notice of allegations the University received on April 25 and responded to on Aug. 2.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has released its response to the NCAA’s amended notice of allegations resulting from a joint investigation of past academic irregularities.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will respond to the NCAA’s amended notice of allegations on Aug. 1 and post a public copy Aug. 2 on the Carolina Commitment website after a review to protect privacy rights.
July 21, 2016
Message from Chancellor Folt: Strom-Gottfried named director of ethics education and policy management
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Kim Strom-Gottfried has agreed to serve as the director, ethics education and policy management, effective Aug. 1. Dr. Strom-Gottfried is the Smith P. Theimann Jr. Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Professional Practice in the School of Social Work and a highly respected member of the faculty.
June 16, 2016
Message from Chancellor Folt: Carolina off probation
I am pleased to let you know that The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges informed me today that the board is maintaining our accreditation and removing our University from probation.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received and released the NCAA’s amended notice of allegations resulting from a joint investigation of academic irregularities.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted its First Monitoring Report in response to information requested by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), its regional accrediting body.
March 10, 2016
Policies and Procedures Working Group completes report
The Policies and Procedures Working Group, which was formed last year to help the University identify any policy redundancies, gaps and inconsistencies; make recommendations for policy and procedure improvements; and create a mechanism for periodic reevaluation; has submitted its final report to Chancellor Carol L. Folt.
February 4, 2016
Message to campus community about progress of working groups
Dear Campus Community: I am writing today to update you on the progress made by two very important working groups I commissioned after the release of the Wainstein Report in 2014. Both the Ethics and Integrity Working Group and the Policy and Procedures Working Group, created in May 2015, have either completed their work or have made substantial progress and are nearing completion.
November 12, 2015
University completes six personnel reviews after Wainstein investigation
After a comprehensive process, the University has completed personnel reviews for six employees named in the independent investigation of academic irregularities conducted by Kenneth Wainstein. The University has ended the employment of two additional individuals, permanently restricted one faculty member from future administrative responsibilities, and cleared three other employees.
In response to a public records request, the University is disclosing final costs totaling about $3,575,743 for outside legal representation and public records processing between December 2016 and May 2018. No state-appropriated or tuition dollars were used for these expenses.
Updated June 8, 2017. In response to the two largest public records requests in its history, the University has completed its release of emails and electronic documents gathered during the independent investigation of academic irregularities led by Kenneth Wainstein.
As part of an annual report about undergraduate admissions discussed with the Faculty Athletics Committee of the Faculty Council on October 13, 2015, Stephen Farmer, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions, presented information about student-athletes who enrolled in the University in 2015. This information is summarized in this annual report on athletics admissions.
October 14, 2015
Message to Carolina Community: Student-Athlete Academic Initiative Working Group launches website
Dear Carolina Community, Two years ago, we brought together a 10-person team of campus leaders to do something that we believe no other University had done before: document and assess all academic processes that affect student-athletes from the time that they are recruited until after they graduate.
August 28, 2015
Policy and Procedures Working Group hires consultant
The Working Group has selected EY, a consulting firm with extensive experience working with large, complex organizations, to assist them in recommending a policy and procedure system for the University and piloting that system through the review of several focused areas within the University.
August 14, 2015
UNC-Chapel Hill reports new information to NCAA
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has notified the NCAA’s enforcement staff that, in the course of responding to the NCAA’s notice of allegations of May 20, 2015, it identified two new pieces of information potentially requiring further review. The University is fully cooperating with the NCAA and working within the NCAA’s processes to bring closure to the investigation as soon as possible.
The University has posted a July 1, 2015 letter from its regional accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which provided additional information about action its Board of Trustees took on June 11, 2015. Sent as part of the commission’s standard protocol, the letter also detailed information SACSCOC would like the University to provide by April 1, 2016, about the effectiveness of specific reform measures and other initiatives instituted in recent years in response to the academic irregularities that ended in 2011.
Dear Carolina Community: I am writing to inform you that our regional accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), has notified the University in a telephone call that our accreditation is being maintained and that a one-year period of probation will be imposed for Carolina in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the many reforms instituted in recent years in response to the academic irregularities that ended in 2011.
June 4, 2015
UNC-Chapel Hill releases NCAA notice of allegations
The University has released the notice of allegations from the NCAA. The University posted the 59-page notice and hundreds of pages of exhibits – called “factual information” (FI) by the NCAA – on the Carolina Commitment website after review by the Public Records Office to protect privacy rights mandated by federal and state laws. Carolina received the notice of allegations on May 20, 2015, and will respond within the NCAA’s 90-day deadline.
June 4, 2015
University forms Working Groups
Following the release of the report by Kenneth Wainstein of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, Chancellor Carol L. Folt announced several initiatives to prevent the recurrence of academic irregularities and to strengthen Carolina. To that end, two working groups were formed in May 2015—the Policy and Procedures Working Group, which has been charged with overseeing an enterprise-wide audit and then using the findings to further enhance process excellence and compliance—and the Ethics and Integrity Working Group, which has been charged with reinforcing ethical high-integrity behavior throughout the University.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol L. Folt and Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham today issued the following statement about receiving the NCAA’s notice of allegations as the next phase in its investigation of academic irregularities and possible bylaw infractions:
March 5, 2015
University Statement regarding Jan Boxill’s resignation
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on March 5, 2015 released the following statement from Rick White, Associate Vice Chancellor for Communications and Public Affairs:
January 20, 2015
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Report Responding to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has posted its report responding to a request for information from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), its regional accrediting body.
December 31, 2014
UNC-Chapel Hill Statement Regarding Personnel Records
Just over two months ago, in connection with the issuance of the report by Kenneth Wainstein of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP on past academic irregularities at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University pledged its full commitment to restoring trust, continuing to implement a broad range of reforms, and holding individuals accountable based on facts and evidence and consistent with fair process and appropriate respect for their privacy. The University continues to work hard on each of these fronts.
November 21, 2014
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Review
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has requested additional information and documentation about the University’s compliance with accreditation standards.
November 7, 2014
Message from Chancellor Carol L. Folt
Dear Carolina Community: In the days since Mr. Wainstein’s report was released, I have seen and experienced many acts of character on our campus and beyond – from quiet moments of reflection to public discussions.
October 22, 2014
Press Release Regarding 2014 Independent Inquiry Press Conference
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today announced the results of an independent investigation conducted by former federal prosecutor Kenneth Wainstein into past academic irregularities at Carolina and took immediate action to address the findings.
October 20, 2014
University statement on upcoming release of Wainstein findings
The following University statement was released Monday, Oct. 20 about the upcoming release of the Wainstein findings:
October 20, 2014
Message from Chancellor Carol L. Folt
Dear Carolina Community, I want to be the first to let you know that this Wednesday at 1 p.m., Kenneth Wainstein, a former federal prosecutor who we retained to investigate past academic irregularities at Carolina, will publicly release his report. At that event, UNC President Tom Ross and I will share our reactions to the report, our plans for responding, and also answer questions from the media.
July 14, 2014
Update from Provost James W. Dean, Jr., about the Student-Athlete Academic Initiative Working Group
As you may know, over the past 10 months, a team of campus leaders from academics and athletics at Carolina has been meeting as the Student-Athlete Academic Initiative Working Group. Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham and I are co-leading this 10-person group, which is developing…
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a verbal notice of inquiry from the NCAA that it will reopen its 2011 examination of academic irregularities. The NCAA has determined that additional people with information and others who were previously uncooperative might now be willing to speak with the enforcement staff.
Kenneth Wainstein, a former federal prosecuter retained in February by University of North Carolina President Tom Ross and UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol L. Folt, addressed UNC’s Board of Governors and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees on June 20 regarding his ongoing independent investigation into irregular courses. The following is a transcript of the statements from Wainstein, who is a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.
June 20, 2014
Kenneth Wainstein Statement Regarding Ongoing Independent Investigation into Irregular Courses
Kenneth Wainstein, a former federal prosecutor retained in February by University of North Carolina President Tom Ross and UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol L. Folt, addressed UNC’s Board of Governors and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees on June 20 regarding his ongoing independent investigation into irregular courses. Wainstein, a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, released this statement through cadwalader.com.
June 10, 2014
Message from Chancellor Carol L. Folt
Over the past few days, I have received many questions from members of our community in response to an ESPN story on claims – some new, some not – regarding academics and athletics at Carolina. It is clear that our community cares deeply about these issues, and I want to assure you that we are doing our best to resolve remaining questions. I also want to take this opportunity to reconfirm that we are going to respond to these questions at the right time, and to provide some perspective as to how Carolina is moving forward.
The News & Observer’s May 22 editorial “FERPA law too often hides what public should know” neglected to mention several important points, writes Joel Curran, Vice Chancellor for Communications and Public Affairs.
Regarding executive editor John Drescher’s May 3 column on why The News & Observer continues to cover past academic and athletic irregularities at UNC-Chapel Hill: The N&O has played an important role in uncovering these issues, and we agree the questions being asked need to be answered to fully understand what transpired at Carolina.
April 28, 2014
Reforms In Action: My Academic Plan Initiative
The Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes’ new My Academic Plan initiative, launched in fall 2013, was developed with input from ASPSA’s academic counselors and student-athletes. It focuses on the development of weekly plans individually designed for student-athletes based on their preparedness, course selection and specific needs.
As part of an annual report about undergraduate admissions to the Faculty Council on April 25, 2014, Stephen Farmer, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions, provided a new report that focuses on the admission of first-year student-athletes.
April 11, 2014
Message from Provost James W. Dean, Jr.
We have just posted to the new Carolina Commitment website, https://carolinacommitment.unc.edu/, the executive summary and full reports from the independent analysis of a data set that was the basis for public claims about the reading ability of a group of student-athletes at Carolina who had been screened for possible learning differences or learning disabilities between 2004 and 2012.
April 9, 2014
Message from Chancellor Carol L. Folt and Provost James W. Dean, Jr. to Carolina Community
Today, we are writing about the role and integrity of athletics and academics at Carolina. Getting this right is a priority of our new administration, and we know it is important to everyone who loves this University.
At UNC Chapel Hill, we evaluate student-athletes for admission the same way we evaluate all candidates: individually, comprehensively and holistically. We know each student possesses a unique combination of strengths and talents, hopes and dreams that enrich the Carolina community.
February 21, 2014
Independent counsel to conduct inquiry of information about academic irregularities
This afternoon, UNC President Tom Ross and I are announcing an important step in addressing any questions left unanswered from previous reviews of course irregularities in our former department of African and Afro-American studies…
January 23, 2014
UNC must welcome scrutiny as opportunity, Folt says
Chancellor Carol L. Folt says it’s important for the University to make amends by fully acknowledging mistakes that led to athletic and academic scandals, mistakes that could have been avoided – and must be avoided in the future.
January 16, 2014
Chancellor Folt sends message to campus
I am writing today to provide my perspective on a topic that has been reported in the media recently, and more importantly, is of great concern to our community: what we are doing to ensure the integrity of our support for student-athletes and their success from admission to graduation.
January 16, 2014
UNC Statement on Student-Athlete Reading Ability
Last week, CNN reported on reading skills of student-athletes at U.S. public universities including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The story used a CNN-defined threshold for student-athletes being “college-literate” based on results from SAT and ACT college entrance exam scores (400 on SAT Critical Reading or Writing; 16 on ACT).