TO THE EDITOR:
Carol Folt’s message addressed to the Carolina community is dangerously misleading. The first paragraph belittles the scandal by using past investigations and changes to placate critics. The second paragraph shows the University’s commitment to denial and half-truths.
Mary Willingham’s data is limited to predominantly (85 percent) football and men’s basketball players between 2004 and 2012 who participated in a summer remedial program. Willingham claimed the University broke the rules to keep these revenue sports athletes eligible. Not only did Folt cite data from a different time period, 2012 and 2013, she took data from all athletes, including expenditure sports. Of course Willingham’s data does not match up with the University’s, because they are looking at different athletes from different time periods. Folt is lying with statistics.
The rest of the letter assures us that the University is fixing the problem and Folt asks us for our “patience.” It has been three years, two football coaches, an athletic director and a chancellor since this scandal broke; patience has run out. Folt does not want our patience, — she wants us to forget.
Be skeptical of the data. Understand the difference between profit and expenditure sports. Please remember that a few basketball or football players with low SAT scores does not mean there are not bright students on those teams deserving of support and respect.
Ryan Simmons ’15
Economics
