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NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee Upholds Findings for Florida State University Former Learning SpecialistFor Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Contact(s)
Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117
INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has upheld the findings of violations for a Florida State University former learning specialist.
In March 2009, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions issued an infractions report that included findings of academic fraud affecting more than 60 student-athletes across 10 sports. The case also included impermissible benefits, unethical conduct by three former academic support services staff members and a failure to monitor by the university. The involved sports were football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s track, baseball, softball and men’s golf.
Penalties for the violations included four years of probation, scholarship reductions, vacation of records and show cause penalties for the former staff members.
In her written appeal, the former learning specialist asserted that the findings of violations citing her should be set aside as clearly contrary to the evidence presented to the Committee on Infractions, and that two of the findings did not constitute violations of NCAA rules.
The Infractions Appeals Committee, however, affirmed the findings in its report stating, “After hearing argument and thoroughly reviewing the record, the Infractions Appeals Committee finds no basis on which to overturn the findings of the Committee on Infractions.”
The members of the Infractions Appeals Committee who heard this case were Noel M. Ragsdale, University of Southern California, chair; Susan Cross Lipnickey, Miami University (Ohio); Jack Friedenthal, George Washington University; David Williams II, Vanderbilt University; and William Hoye[1], Institute for the International Education of Students.
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