U-M responds to NCAA decision

May 8, 2003
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ANN ARBOR, Mich.—After a process that encompassed seven years and three separate investigations, the University of Michigan learned what penalties the NCAA will levy for violations of NCAA rules that occurred as far back as the early 1990s.

In its report released today (May 8), the NCAA Committee on Infractions ruled that the acceptance of improper loans by four former U-M basketball players violated NCAA rules on amateurism, impermissible recruiting inducements and extra benefits by an athletics representative. The committee placed the University on probation for four years, imposed an additional year’s ban on postseason play for the current men’s basketball team, and reduced the allowable scholarships by a total of four over the next four years. It also required the University to disassociate for 10 years the four players involved, or show cause why such an action should not be taken. “We have always accepted responsibility for the concerns raised by the NCAA and by the Infractions Committee in its report,” said U-M President Mary Sue Coleman. “We agree that these were very serious infractions, and we accept the additional penalties imposed by the committee that address the loss of scholarships, extended probation and requirement to disassociate the players or show why we should not. We own the wrongdoing and we own the responsibility.” However, she said, the University will appeal the imposition of an additional year’s ban on postseason play, over and above the one-year ban the University self-imposed for the 2002-2003 season. The appeal will be based on the unfair burden such a penalty places upon innocent student-athletes and coaching staff. “I am disappointed that the committee’s action has the effect of further punishing our current, uninvolved student-athletes,” she said. “This contradicts one of the core principles of NCAA enforcement.” U-M Athletic Director Bill Martin noted that the University worked closely with the NCAA, the Big Ten and the federal government in its investigations, always with the goal of getting to the truth. Those investigations led to a number of actions including personnel changes, extensive changes in the Athletic Department’s compliance programs, and self-imposed sanctions. “We’ve had three presidents since the violations first occurred,” Martin said. “We’ve had three athletic directors and three different coaches. All of the players in the program during those years have long since left the University.” Martin said the Athletic Department hired a new compliance official, Judy Van Horn, and strengthened her position in the department and increased her staff. Several other changes were designed to reduce access to players by outside influences and to conduct more thorough education and training of staff and players. At the conclusion of its final investigation—made possible only by a plea-bargain in a separate federal investigation—the University self-imposed sanctions that included vacating 114 wins including two Final Fours, removing four championship banners from Crisler Arena, returning money to the NCAA for postseason play with ineligible players, and putting itself on probation for two years. “We imposed these severe sanctions because we thought it was the right thing to do,” Martin said. “We made a deliberate decision to announce the sanctions publicly, because we thought it would set a positive example for accountability.” The NCAA Committee on Infractions agreed that the sanctions “represented meaningful self-imposed penalties,” and praised the University for its cooperation and its commitment to accept responsibility for the violations. However, in levying additional penalties, the committee noted the seriousness of the case, the large sums of money involved, the prominence of the players accepting the improper loans, and the lengthy time period over which the violations occurred. Martin emphasized how proud he is of men’s basketball head coach Tommy Amaker and the student-athletes on his team, who achieved significant success in the 2002-03 season despite the self-imposed ban on playing in any tournaments. “These young men held their heads high in the face of an extremely difficult situation,” Martin said. "Now we’re looking forward to what’s ahead." The appeal process with the NCAA will likely take three to four months, with a response anticipated by early fall.