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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ?Join student-athletes in a panel discussion

TO THE EDITOR:

The results of the Wainstein report have sent shock waves throughout the UNC community and across the nation. We were all unsettled to read the details of the report and as the University’s self-governing body of student-athletes, the Student-Athlete Advisory Council takes very seriously the report and its implications for the hundreds of student-athletes currently at the University, as well as thousands of student-athlete alumni. Council: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2014/05/nc-public-school-scholarship-athletes-allowed-to-join-one-nc-union

While the media coverage of the Wainstein report has been rightfully critical of the University and our Department of Athletics, there are some details upon which we would like to elaborate.

Between 1993 and 2011, there were roughly 3,900 enrollments in irregular courses. Of these enrollments, 47.4 percent were student-athletes. While this is still a sizable portion and an absolutely unacceptable statistic, it is important to note that academic irregularities were not isolated to any particular subset of the student body.http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2014/10/wainstein-report-reveals-extent-of-academic-scandal-at-unc “five categories of irregulartiy” subhead.

As described in the report, some counselors in the Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes and advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences directed students, both athletes and others, to take these fraudulent classes. Students must accept full responsibility for ensuring the integrity of their own education.

While we have no doubt that some athletes understood the egregious nature of the “paper class” scheme, it is unjust to fault all UNC students — athlete or not — for a system that was created and administered by University personnel and placed students in an environment that made them vulnerable to academic misconduct.

The academic fraud that took place is not representative of who we are as students or as an institution. We remain dedicated to the Carolina Way of excellence, honor and integrity. While the vast majority of these academic transgressions occurred before our matriculation at UNC, we commit ourselves to ensuring that scholastic integrity is promoted and maintained on our campus. We would also like to take the next step and move the conversation in a positive, constructive space that emphasizes the noteworthy successes of UNC student-athletes. Please join us today at 6 p.m. in Carroll Hall 111 with Student Body President Andrew Powell and many other student leaders from across campus in an open forum. We welcome all students to this event and look forward to addressing any outstanding concerns as we help our university move forward.https://www.facebook.com/UNCStudentGovernment

Whether you are a student, athlete, faculty member, staff, alumna or alumnus, let us never forget that we all are bound by our unwavering love for our University, our community and the Tar Heel nation.

As the current stewards of our institution, we are committed now more than ever to the principles upon which the University was founded, and we will continue to honor the integrity, reputation and name of the University of North Carolina both in sport and in the classroom.

Mike Jacobs

Co-chairman, SAAChttp://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=205708487

co-chair: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2014/10/letter-wainstein-editorial%20was%20tone-deaf

Kelly Corish

Co-chairwoman, SAAChttp://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209291523

Houston Summers

Chairman, policies and procedures sub-committee, SAAChttp://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205708506

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