INTRODUCTION
“The
Carolina Way”. It is a term that has
long been used by those associated with the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. The connotations have by
and large stood for “doing things the right way”. Always being honorable. Always making the correct choice. Always doing for group and university, rather
than for self.
The
following declarations are proudly displayed on the website of the University’s
Office of Student Council:
“Since
the 1875, students at the University of North Carolina have had a tradition of
self-governance in matters of student discipline. Our students have pledged
themselves not to lie, cheat, or steal. This commitment to academic integrity,
ethical behavior, personal responsibility and civil discourse exemplifies the
“Carolina Way” and serve as the foundation for our student-led Honor System.
The Office of Student
Conduct supports the fostering and development of students at the University by
promoting honor, integrity, and ethical decision making. This philosophy
supports the student-led Honor System’s promotion of the Carolina Way by
educating the campus on community expectations and responsibilities. When the
need arises, the student-led Honor System adjudicates allegations of violations
to community standards. This site is designed to help promote Honor at
Carolina. The Honor Code can be found as part of the Instrument of Student
Judicial Governance (Instrument). The Instrument outlines the prohibited
conduct, policies and procedures for adjudicating allegations of student
misconduct.”
Over the past several
decades the phrase has transcended beyond the regular student body, and has
been a battle cry of honor for the school’s various athletic programs; teams
that have enjoyed unparalleled success on the courts and fields, and whose
marketing brand has brought millions of dollars to the school in the form of
consumer revenue.
Hall of Fame basketball
coach Dean Smith wrote a book in 2004 titled The Carolina Way: Leadership
Lessons from a Life in Coaching. He was long viewed as the paradigm
of the phrase; his teams won, and his players almost always graduated.
The overall graduation rate of his dozens of Carolina basketball teams was a
reported 96%.
Smith retired in 1997,
and for over a decade his (and the school’s) image remained spotless. The
proud phrase stood strong, and the university continued to be viewed as a top
educational university.
Questions would arise,
however. And following the questions would come data, which would point
to solid facts. And with those facts would emerge doubts. Athletes
were given preferential treatment, above and beyond the normal scholarship
stipulations. Money was paid, at times apparently with coaches’
knowledge. Most seriously, however, were the academic misdeeds.
Grades were given for classes that athletes never attended, and in many cases
those classes never even existed, except on paper. Other grades were
changed by academic adults associated with the school, without
permission. And in certain cases, these fraudulent grades appear to be
the only things that kept some athletes eligible to participate.
Without the money, the
grades, and the fraud that benefitted countless star players dating back to the
early 1990’s, certain players may not have chosen to attend the school, and the
various teams surely would not have achieved the same success – on the fields,
on the courts, and certainly not in the classrooms. Graduation rates
would have been much different, as would the bottom line of marketing
revenue. And perhaps most importantly to those who claim to care, the
reputation of the school – and the phrase “The Carolina Way” – would also mean
something else entirely.
*
* *
Mark Emmert, the
president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, stood at the podium
on Monday, July 23, 2012. He was before a packed room of reporters in
order to address a terrible crime against humanity – which also happened to
have a direct tie to athletics. A cover-up had occurred at Penn State
University, and Emmert’s organization, the NCAA, saw it within their bounds to
take strong and swift corrective action.
The events at Penn State
were horrific, and nothing else in the history of college sports can compare to
the pain that the victims endured. Emmert had a wider message to give on
that day, however, which was a warning and guideline to all universities that
serve the greater good of its students (and student-athletes). It was a
message that seemed to indicate why those schools have athletic programs in the
first place: to teach honor, fairness, and positive life lessons.
In the midst of passing
down Penn State’s sanctions, Emmert gave a seemingly larger message that
resonated from the podium:
"These events should serve as a call to
every single school and athletics department to take an honest look at its
campus environment and eradicate the 'sports are king' mindset that can so
dramatically cloud the judgment of educators."
It is doubtful that
Emmert knew just how prophetic and accurate his words were on that day.
There have been many other cases of impermissible benefits in college
sports. There have been occasional instances of random teachers giving
preferential grades and treatment. But never has there been a case when
multiple factions within a university and culture did so much to cover up
decades of improprieties – improprieties that did exactly what Emmert’s words
described.
The University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, since at least the early 1990’s, did just that:
It allowed a ‘sports are king’ mindset to cloud the judgment of its
educators. Coaches were complicit, as were boosters, fundraisers, tutors,
administrative assistants, tenured professors, and even administrators.
Collectively, they have allowed a once-proud phrase – and, consequently an
entire university – to have its reputation tarnished and
compromised. Even worse, many have refused to come forward and
speak out against the improprieties. Instead, they have continued to tout
those words despite strong public evidence that the phrase has been largely
bolstered not through honorable actions, but rather through deliberate academic
and social deceit. Sadly, evidence shows that the old “Carolina Way” is no
more, with the new version being a far cry from what the school and its
alumni once envisioned.
------
------
------
The book -- in paperback or Kindle format -- can be ordered online at Amazon.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment