Update 8:30 pm – Added analysis from UNC blog on today’s Kendrick Burney PR fiasco

UNC Scandal79

11am Update: Durham Herald Sun tweeted the following 11 minutes ago:

#UNC football spokesman Kevin Best said Kendric Burney’s case still hasn’t been resolved

1pm Update: The News & Observer just posted this:

Burney’s case not resolved

North Carolina cornerback Kendric Burney has not been cleared for Saturday’s game at Miami, a team spokesman said this morning.
The NCAA suspended Burney, an All-ACC cornerback, six games for receiving agent-related benefits. He was scheduled to return on Saturday but before UNC’s win at Virginia on Oct. 16, the school announced Burney still had “unresolved issues” related to the ongoing NCAA investigation.

“His case is not resolved,” UNC spokesman Kevin Best said today.

Multiple media outlets have reported that Burney has been cleared by the school’s honor court and will play on Saturday.

4:00 pm update

From the sports editor of the DTH:

jjones9 Jonathan Jones
Kevin Best tells me that Burney will not be adding a class this late in the semester. He wants to end the rumors. Issue is still unresolved

8:30 update

Does anyone wonder what may have led UNC away from allowing Burney to add this class mid-semester? Here is what how a UNC blog broke down today’s events:

So what is happening here? Obviously if Burney needs to add a class it means the honor court gave him a failing grade in a previous one. That means he is short the number of hours he needs to meet certain NCAA academic requirements to be eligible to play football.

At this point in the semester I do not think it is possible to add a class, that is something only UNC can fully answer. One question to ask if why did Burney conclude adding a class was possible if it wasn’t? Is it possible Burney prematurely telling people upset the apple cart and outed what was supposed to be a private process by which UNC and the NCAA work on an agreement to get Burney on the field? If so, Burney’s exuberance might be his undoing. Given the media scrutiny I can see how resolving the issue in such a way that allows Burney to play forces UNC to account for the process. Whereas if Burney goes to the honor court, is found guilty, received an F then UNC discusses it with the NCAA and makes an arrangement with them for Burney to play then all UNC has to do is put out a press release saying Burney is clear while using privacy laws as a means of not talking about how the sausage is made.

If I had to guess, I would say that this has become a bit of a PR issue which might make it difficult for UNC to get Burney on the field.

——————————————————–

Originally posted:

I have said you just can’t make this stuff up in regards to the ongoing scandal in Chapel Hill several times already and the latest news regarding Kendrick Burney continues along that same theme.

Burney went before the Honor Court Monday to hear his case regarding the NCAA investigation into academic fraud. Burney told NewsChannel 12 that if he picks up a class Tuesday morning, he will be allowed to play Saturday at Miami….

….But Burney told us that if he picks up this class, he should be able to play in his first game of the year this weekend.

Updated

-According to the NCAA, a student-athlete only has to enroll in 12 hours to compete except when a student is in his final semester. So let’s speculate on what might be happening with Burney. Let’s say a student-athlete only needs 3 hours to graduate. The NCAA allows that student-athlete to take 3 hours and play football in his final semester. Now let’s say that the same student-athlete all of sudden finds himself in front of the honor court and gets charged with academic fraud causing a failing grade in a previous class. All of a sudden, the player would be ineligible by NCAA rules because they would need to be taking 6 hours.

So what does the university do? They ask a professor on campus to throw academic integrity aside to allow the student-athlete, who committed academic fraud, to enroll in their class 6 weeks after the official deadline of August 30th. If the permission is granted, then the student-athlete would be eligible and can play football this coming weekend. The Carolina Way in a nutshell.

How can a professor grant that permission knowing a kid who was just found guilty of academic fraud, only took the bare minimum needed to graduate at the beginning of the semester(what is the kid doing with the rest of his time in Chapel Hill?), but now is desperate to enroll in your class just so he can play football?

An even better question is how a university that supposedly values integrity and academics first could even put a professor in a position to have to make that decision? Especially when the student-athlete involved has already embarrassed the university by accepting illegal benefits and committing academic fraud?

At some point, one would think somebody in Chapel Hill would stand up and do what is right.

——————————————————–

Regardless of what we learn, every twist and turn of this story becomes a more clear indication that the “Carolina Way” is clearly the way of doing anything to get/keep kids who break the rules eligible and on the field. We are yet to find a single instance in this sordid affair where UNC has voluntarily mandated a punishment to one of these kids that is beyond the bounds of what the NCAA required, would have required, or wasn’t tied to keeping ineligible players off the field to attempt to avoid the future vacating of wins.

Not once has there just been discipline for the sake of discipline. Not once has there been a suspension/expulsion because a kid did wrong and the Athletics Department chose to invoke some kind of LEADERSHIP in disciplining a kid for his decisions.

“There have been multiple issues [with Burney],” UNC athletic director Dick Baddour said Saturday at Scott Stadium. “We’ve been working on them for some time. We had hoped that all of those issues would be resolved by this time but that hasn’t happened unfortunately.

“It is possible that it will be resolved by the Miami game. It’s possible that it will be resolved favorably, and it’s possible that it will not be resolved favorably.”

How does one ultimately ‘resolve’ things that are blatantly wrong? Either the kid really screwed up with ‘multiple issues’ or he didn’t.

By Baddour’s own admission, Burney has had ‘multiple issues’. Instead of just putting down their foot and saying, “Enough is enough”…the administrators at UNC continue to show us the true “Carolina Way” — ‘no matter how much you screw up, we will NOT discipline you more than the NCAA might require. We don’t have standards that are any different than the bare minimum. We will use all of the resources of the department to find ways to help support student-athletes that break multiple rules across different issues – agents, academics, improper benefits, others?’

There is more about this tangential conversation here.

UNC Scandal

79 Responses to Update 8:30 pm – Added analysis from UNC blog on today’s Kendrick Burney PR fiasco

  1. MatSci94 10/19/2010 at 12:04 PM #

    So when we see pictures of him at graduation, we’ll know that he magically passed this class that he didn’t attend for half of the semester.

    Most schools have the late add/drop policy. I used the late drop once in graduate school to drop a class I was over my head in, but I had to explain my situation to the Dean of the school, and it was a ‘don’t let this happen again’ sort of thing.

    I have seen late adds before, but most of those were for ‘administrative’ hours like “Thesis Research” that were not classroom courses. Depending on the department, I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t some kind of “independent study” class that could reasonably be completed if you started late.

  2. package5 10/19/2010 at 12:05 PM #

    he may be able to join an online class. those start every 8 weeks or something

  3. WolftownVA81 10/19/2010 at 12:07 PM #

    More fuel for the NCAA bonfire that will burn UNC Athletics to the ground. It shows us once again that the institution hasn’t lost control, the leaders know exactly what they’re doing. Those that follow in their footsteps will pay the price.

  4. Hungwolf 10/19/2010 at 12:18 PM #

    I think ya’ll missing he point. These UNC players are victims of the big time college football problems everywhere. They are heros for trying to get back on the football team. Isn’t it every kids dream to take the field at UNC? Baddour, Davis, Thorpe, the UNC BOG, and the entire UNC faculty have done everything possible to keep this from happening yet still these poor innocent kids and coaches feel victim to the evil forces that want to destroy the “Carolina Way.” These kids need to be at every game, at media day, at fan day, and talk to every news outlet possible. They are mentors for all us especially those kids playing football that want to come to UNC.

    How dare this site, ESPN, Yahoo, and local editors call for resignations or firing. Why get rid of the people that these kids need right now more than ever supporting them? Not their fault, not Baddour’s fault, not Davis fault, or Thorpe’s fault. It was the system, that bad Blake person that fooled them all, and those that don’t understand the UNC value system and wish to tear it down.

    Folks that is the Carolina Way and the above is the type of crap I hear from UNC fans, mostly alumni!

    The truth is when you so used to getting away with everything for so long with everyone looking the other way or endorsing your behavior. Why should UNC or its fan be worried about what happening today?

    We were told they ivestigating the entire athletic dept. Roy Willims was quatoed in the paper as saying He was told the Bball program in great shape. No one from the school has asked for a meeting with him or any player. So we know for sure Bball in great shape cause no one asked or looked into anything. Why ask were you got that jewelry, car, money, who paid for your trips, etc. when you don’t want the answer!

  5. PackWolf82 10/19/2010 at 12:20 PM #

    Okay I am a little late to this party, but let me first say I’m appalled at this news! I can’t believe someone who went to the honor council on the charges is even allowed to continue this semester.

    FWIW I want to add my expert opinion on this, I work in the Advising office at an ACC school, and I find it hard to believe that this is possible. At my school there are half semester courses, but most of those are only worth 1hr, maybe 2 hrs in some cases. There are some 3 hour courses depending on your major.
    The way everything I am reading about Burney’s situation makes it sound like he is trying to add a course that other students have attended all semester and he is well over a month or more behind in. How is that fair? I know at my school, you would need a Committee to approve this request even beyond the instructor’s approval. It would rarely if ever fly. I do not see this kind of thing being approved here, and don’t know why someone like UNX with “their standards” would bend the rules like that. I know for us, we would not really let students who had never attended a course try to add it even 3 weeks or so into the semester.

    They will bend any rules over there to get these guys eligible. It makes me sick to hear what they are doing.

  6. PackWolf82 10/19/2010 at 12:24 PM #

    Here’s a little more info that someone else didn’t post about UNC’s policy, it requires more than just the instructor’s permission, which is what I thought based on the system at the school I work for.

    REGISTRATION AND COURSE ADDS

    Changes in course registration schedules should be made during the first five days of classes. During this time, students may add courses using the registration system. After the first five days of classes, the addition of a course to a student’s registration schedule requires permission of the course instructor or the department concerned. Additionally, students must obtain a Registration/Drop/Add Form from their academic adviser, the concerned department, or their school. Students are required to have their school dean’s signature when registering for the first time or making any course additions after the last day to add a course and the end of late registration. (See the University Registrar’s Calendar for specific dates). In these cases, deans will only approve those registrations or course additions which have first been approved by the instructor, and only for truly exceptional circumstances. The form must be submitted to the University Registrar’s Office on the day of issuance.

    http://regweb.oit.unc.edu/students/drop_add.php

  7. newt 10/19/2010 at 12:28 PM #

    Now I have to wonder if the reaction to this news (e.g. questions asked by the reporters now tweeting and blogging that the news was premature) has led to changes in how the Burney situation is being handled.

    In a vacuum of information, speculation will fill the gaps.

  9. packpowerfan 10/19/2010 at 12:58 PM #

    MattSci, you hit the biggest issue for me. How can you add a class at essentially the halfway point of the semester, and then hope to pass?! I mean, I missed two Organic Chem II lectures this semester, and it put me so far behind that I was forced to drop it. I understand he won’t be taking a ball-buster of a class, but I don’t see ANY way a student does this and succeeds. Of course, this is an underlying issue overshadowed by the notion that the University would reward a cheating student with a second chance for spite. That’s all this is…UNC is doing all of this out of spite of the NCAA, and they are going to learn the hard way they shouldn’t have fed the bears.

  10. TOBtime 10/19/2010 at 12:58 PM #

    Possibly the NCAA version of “Not so fast my friend!” has occurred?

    I just can’t see too much more rule-flaunting being allowed by the NCAA. Everyone keeps talking about the hammer dropping but maybe the new sheriff in town has let it be known a bomb is going to drop NOW if any stunts are pulled “for the sake of this year”.

  11. newt 10/19/2010 at 1:12 PM #

    One commenter on JPG’s blog says the hold up is in waiting to see if Burney gets approval to add the class, which would really take the cake if he does get approval…

  12. MatSci94 10/19/2010 at 1:21 PM #

    “How can you add a class at essentially the halfway point of the semester, and then hope to pass?”

    I guess the bottom line is that they don’t care if he passes, only that he is enrolled for the proper number of hours to be eligible. If he fails, it will be after the season is over.

  13. bradleyb123 10/19/2010 at 1:33 PM #

    “How can you add a class at essentially the halfway point of the semester, and then hope to pass?!”

    Maybe he has a good TUTOR? 🙂

  14. wolfpacker 10/19/2010 at 1:35 PM #

    THEY ALL PASS, IT’S THE “CAROLINA WAY”

    If you play sports, you pass…you don’t even have to come to class, just make sure that you sign up before the semester is over. But then again, I think we can arrange to fix that as well.

  15. MrPlywood 10/19/2010 at 1:36 PM #

    All I know is that my kid is already in the midst of studying for midterms. Granted, she’s in Montreal at McGill so the schedules might be somewhat different, but it would hard for ANY student to play catch up after adding a class this late. That said, I could see it if the class was needed for graduation, but for eligibility? At a Public Ivy? ermmmm…

  16. MrPlywood 10/19/2010 at 1:43 PM #

    Reporter: How are your grades Boobie?
    Boobie Miles: I get straight A’s, I’m an athlete.
    Reporter: In what subject?
    Boobie: There’s only one subject, that’s football. Ain’t no other subject.

  17. bigdudenc 10/19/2010 at 1:45 PM #

    Maybe it is an accounting or criminology course and they are going to accept his recent experiences as course work towards this semester.

  18. waxhaw 10/19/2010 at 1:58 PM #

    I’m beginning to understand why their graduation rates are so high.

    A UNC-CHeats diploma is becoming worthless.

  19. ppack3 10/19/2010 at 2:17 PM #

    “Not once has there just been discipline for the sake of discipline. Not once has there been a suspension/expulsion because a kid did wrong and the Athletics Department chose to invoke some kind of LEADERSHIP in disciplining a kid for his decisions.”

    Yet, the blame is placed squarely on the players? The, “We told ’em not to do these things…” guise has been instituted from the beginning, trying to deflect any wrong-doing from Dickie and Butchie. Now, it’s a game of Let’s Make A Deal. Regardless of the technical legitimacy of Burney’s Drop/Add ‘solution,’ the moral ramifications of this ploy to get him back onto the field are unforgivable. Let’s tryo to keep in mind that this is just one case. The weight of this academic scandal is being placed wrongly on each case rather than the idea that there was widespread cheating. So, we are to believe that the participants in the cheating had differing degrees of fraud, or that just a little fraud carry’s any less weight than another case of fraud?

  20. packalum44 10/19/2010 at 3:17 PM #

    Adding the class with instructor approval is for extenuating circumstances…like the death of a parent, a horrible car accident that kept you in the hospital for weeks, or trying to become NCAA “compliant” b/c you cheated in the previous class.

    In all honesty, I wonder how UNC alums feel about the mockery being made of their degree. My sister graduated from there and was furious when this scandal first broke weeks ago. I believe she is somewhat aloof to the most egregious atrocities that have unfolded since we last spoke about it, simply b/c of the poor media coverage in Charlotte where she resides.

  21. bradleyb123 10/19/2010 at 3:26 PM #

    I have a question. First of all, assuming he’s able to pick up this class that is pretty much HALF OVER, how does he intend to pass it?

    It is my belief that he has no intention of passing this class. Because simply being IN the class will satisfy his eligibility requirements, will it not? I mean, he can fail it come December, and THEN he would be ineligible to play. But the season would be over by then, and who cares. And he’s a senior, too. So he could just disappear, having never had the slightest intention of passing this class.

    Am I wrong?

  22. wolfpacker 10/19/2010 at 3:52 PM #

    I have a question. First of all, assuming he’s able to pick up this class that is pretty much HALF OVER, how does he intend to pass it?
    HE PASSES BECAUSE ALL UNC ATHLETES PASS…HOW HARD IS THAT TO GRASP?

    Am I wrong?
    YOU OBVIOUSLY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE “CAROLINA WAY”

    If the institution was as credible as they claim, it would be impossible for these athletes to perform at even a ‘just below par’ level. And, as for the cheating…I don’t buy the fact that the professor wouldn’t be able to discern a paper written by a ‘regular student’ and a ‘student athlete’…if the professors can’t tell the difference then maybe the school should admit regular students with the same SAT scores as the athletes and then let’s see what happens…

  23. Lunatic Fringe 10/19/2010 at 3:54 PM #

    Why do I envision Butch/Baddour trapped under a fishing net next to Scooby and the Mystery Machine saying, “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those meddling kids!”

    The fact this was even discussed is beyond laughable.

  24. coach13 10/19/2010 at 4:06 PM #

    At what point is the NCAA going to take a step back and notice that UNC is more worried about getting these kids in the game this year than correcting what is wrong with their program and doingwhat is right? When is the media going to…well never mind, stupid question.

  25. newt 10/19/2010 at 4:08 PM #

    Now WCTI has edited their story to remove the part you quoted.

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