Vol. XXIX No. 41 • Nov. 24, 1999
http://www.umn.edu/urelate/brief/1999-11-24.html
Other issues
Editor: Maureen Smith (612) 624-2801
President Yudof held a news conference Nov. 19 to report findings of independent investigators into allegations of significant cheating in the men’s basketball program. "The findings compel a disturbing conclusion: Between 1993 and 1998 there was systematic, widespread academic misconduct in the men’s basketball program," he said. "In addition, there were cash payments to student-athletes and there was an effort by Coach Haskins to interfere with the investigation." Yudof also said the U violated the NCAA standard for institutional control. Basketball program "became a kind of isolated fiefdom, allowed to operate virtually unchecked."
Yudof accepted the resignations of VP McKinley Boston and men’s athletics director Mark Dienhart. Both are "honorable men with integrity," he said, and nothing in the report shows that either one knew about the cheating, but "the facts show that they had strong reason to be suspicious of the operation of the basketball counseling program," and they missed opportunities to act even though "plenty of warning signals were sent."
Dienhart, who held his own news conference earlier the same day, resigned effective Dec. 6. Yudof will appoint an interim men’s athletics director within the next few weeks, and the search for a permanent director will begin immediately. Boston will retain responsibility for student development until the end of his contract on June 30, 2000. Search will begin immediately for a new VP for student development. Contracts of senior associate men’s athletics director Jeff Schemmel and compliance officer Chris Schoemann will not be renewed.
Management of intercollegiate athletics programs will be assigned to the president’s chief of staff, Tonya Moten Brown, beginning Dec. 1. Yudof will confer with regents, faculty, and others on the issue of converting the chief of staff’s position into a VP for administration, with a recommendation to the regents likely in February.
Investigators received new information implicating Haskins within the past few weeks, Yudof said. Decision to buy out Haskins’s contract in June was based on information available at the time, he said, and he would not have made the same decision "if I knew then what I know now." He said he believed then and still believes it was important to get a new basketball coach in place right away. When asked if the U will take Haskins to court to try to get some of the money back, he said, "We’re looking at that."
A small number of cases of faculty complicity are cited in the report, Yudof said, and in a faculty of thousands this is "not an epidemic." The faculty members will be disciplined through collegiate procedures, with due process. Names of faculty members and student-athletes were deleted from the report before it was made public.
Coaches are not to contact faculty about student grades, he said, and no instances of such contact were found in other sports. He urged that in the future "the first time that happens the faculty member call 911-YUDOF and we’ll put a stop to it," or "call Tonya Brown, preferably."
Yudof apologized to the people of Minnesota. "I am deeply sorry," he said. "I apologize for what has happened and what did not happen to prevent this activity. I regret we’ve brought shame and embarrassment upon the University for which you’ve demonstrated such loyalty. I hope that you will accept this heartfelt apology and join with us as we begin rebuilding trust."
Regent Spence and chief of staff Tonya Brown also made statements at the news conference. "This is a sad day," Spence said. "The cheating and the breakdown in institutional control for men’s basketball have brought dishonor to our great University. For this, the board also apologizes to the citizens of Minnesota. It is our hope that today we can begin the process of healing and restoring the public’s confidence and trust."
Senate Consultative Committee (SCC) met Nov. 18 to start working on bylaw amendments to implement the recommendations it made a week earlier, many of them from the Clayton committee report. Discussion centered on the membership and responsibilities of a new faculty oversight committee. Reviewing transcripts of all student-athletes is "a substantial task," Fred Morrison said. "You really need the professional advisers,"
Marvin Marshak said. Checking GPAs is automatic, Marshak said, but someone needs to know if the courses taken are the right courses. Mary Jo Kane said the issue is "students staying eligible by taking courses that go nowhere." Athletes in the past have had eligibility trouble because they could not get into a major even though they had a 2.0 GPA; many programs set their own higher admission standards. Judith Martin said these 2nd-tier admission standards are now out, although programs that have 300 applicants for 100 spaces can still take the top 100.
Employee Benefits offers a presentation for faculty and staff interested in enrolling in optional retirement plan Nov. 29, 2:30–3:30 p.m. 210/215 Donhowe Building, and on interactive TV to several locations (UMC, UMD, UMM, Rochester, 4 Magrath Library, TC). To register call Twin Cities 612-624-9090 and press 1, Crookston 218-281-8354, Duluth 218-726-7822, Morris 320-589-6021, Rochester 507-280-2834.
CROOKSTON—Ag Activities Day, sponsored by the Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources at UMC, is scheduled for Dec. 3. High school students and members of 4-H clubs and FFA chapters from Minnesota and North Dakota are invited to compete in ag-related contests. UMC Ag Activity Day scholarships of $750 will be awarded for high individual performance, $600 for 2nd high individual, and $450 for 3rd high individual in each contest.
DULUTH—Biology professor John Pastor is the recipient of the first UMD Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research. Pastor will receive his award in a public ceremony Nov. 29 at 3:15 p.m. in 185 Life Science Building. Following presentation of the award, he will present a seminar entitled "Beauty and Aesthetics in Mathematical Ecology and Art." A faculty-staff reception will follow at 4:30 p.m. in the Griggs Center.
Events: UMD Chemistry and Biochemistry Club will present a chemistry magic show Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. in 200 Chemistry Building. Demonstration is free and open to everyone. • Pianist Violetta Petrova will perform an all-Brahms concert Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tweed Museum of Art. Tickets are $8, $6, and $4.
MORRIS—Thirty-seven sections of the First Year Seminar (FYS)—more than 500 students—will present projects, exhibits, and performances at the FYS Jamboree Dec. 2, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. in Oyate Hall and Edson Auditorium. The Jamboree will showcase the inaugural year of FYS, a class in which all freshmen participate. This year’s FYS focuses on human diversity.
Research by Morris campus faculty can be accessed on the Web at www.mrs.umn.edu/research.
Sen. Cal Larson (R-Fergus Falls) and the staff of the Senate Higher Education Budget Division will visit UMM Nov. 30. A tour of the old and new science facilities will focus on gathering information about UMM’s capital request for the year 2000—$8.2 million for renovation of the old science building.
TWIN CITIES—Gopher football team has qualified for its first postseason bowl since 1986. U of M Alumni Association is organizing the only official U of M football bowl tour. Packages will include guaranteed game tickets, extra events, and a high-quality travel organization. If you want to receive information when bowl bid is announced, call 877-GO4-BOWL or visit www.gophers.alumniholidays.com. Final details will be announced by Dec. 5.
The 1999 U of M Community Fund Drive raised $802,226 for Twin Cities charitable organizations. This was the 2nd highest amount in the history of U campaigns, with the 2nd highest percentage (29%) of pledging U employees. The volunteers who made it happen "would like to thank their fellow employees for the generosity that strengthens the University’s partnership with our greater community."
Announcements: U Libraries received a $68,000 National Leadership Grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services to support a weeklong training institute in late July 2000 for 20 U.S. librarians of color in the first 3 years of their careers. Contact Linda DeBeau Melting (l-debe@tc.umn.edu) or Peggy Johnson (m-john@tc.umn.edu) with questions. • U of M Toastmasters, a public speaking group, meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month in 6-101 Basic Sciences and Biomedical Engineering. For more information, call Kelly at 612-625-2012. • Coffman Copy Center has moved to 101 Norris Hall, due to the Coffman remodeling. Course materials previously processed through Coffman will now be handled at the Norris location. Call 612-625-3971.
More announcements: School of Nursing Foundation is holding a 2-day jewelry and estate sale Dec. 1–2, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., in the hallway across from the Outside In cafeteria, 2nd floor concourse, Phillips-Wangensteen Building. Sales from antique and contemporary jewelry as well as linens and collectibles from around the world will benefit nursing education programs and scholarships. Contact Laurel Mallon or Jane Pederson at 612-624-2490. • Healthy nonsmoking women aged 30–50 wanted for an exercise intervention study. Volunteers will be assigned to a treatment or no-treatment group and undergo measurements including body fat percentage, blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin, blood cholesterol, caloric intake assessments, resting metabolism, and muscle strength. Monetary compensation plus 6-month membership in the U Recreation Center. Call 612-625-8056 for more information.
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