| | Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS -- What was described as one of the worst cases
of academic fraud in 20 years cost the Minnesota men's athletic
department four years' probation and the basketball program five
scholarships. But the Golden Gophers escaped the worst penalty.
Because Minnesota acted firmly to investigate itself and punish those involved in a widespread term-paper scam, the NCAA decided Tuesday it would not bar the university from postseason play.
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NCAA Penalties
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Details of the NCAA penalties against the University of
Minnesota for academic fraud in its basketball program:
No postseason ban. The university's self-imposed punishment
included holding the 1999-2000 team out of postseason play.
Four years probation.
Public reprimand and censure.
Cut scholarships over the next three years by five, instead of
the four proposed by the university.
Cut the number of university-paid visits for basketball
recruits from 12 to six over the next three years. The university
had proposed cutting the visits to eight.
Cut number of days for coaches to watch potential recruits play
from 50 to 37.5. The university had proposed cutting those days to
40.
Ordered the school's records for the 1994, 1995 and 1997 NCAA
Tournaments, and the 1996 and 1998 National Invitation Tournaments,
be vacated. The record of former coach Clem Haskins in those
tournaments, plus the individual records for any player named in
the report in those tournaments, was to be vacated. Athletics
department materials citing the records and banners, including a
1997 Final Four banner hanging in Williams Arena, must be removed.
Haskins and former academic adviser Alonzo Newby can't return
to college sports in the next seven years without permission of the
NCAA infractions committee. Former tutor Jan Gangelhoff can't
return in the next five years without going through the committee.
University must return 90 percent of money it received from Big
Ten for playing in 1994, 1995 and 1997 NCAA tournaments, estimated
at $350,000, because ineligible players were used.
The university must disassociate itself from a car dealership
owner who refused to cooperate with investigators.
Accepted several other self-imposed punishments, including
reduced evaluation days for coaches during the month of July and
cutting the number of coaches permitted to evaluate players
off-campus in the summer from three to two.
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Such punishment would have cost the school hundreds of thousands
of dollars in TV money and immeasurable recruiting chances.
Members of the NCAA's infractions committee said the scandal was
among the most serious cases of academic fraud in 20 years.
"You have to determine whether you caught the attention of the
university and whether it caught the attention of others," said
committee chairman Jack Friedenthal, a law professor at George
Washington University. "The University of Minnesota is and should
be deeply ashamed of what happened.
"No one is going to go out and think they can violate these
rules and think the penalties will not be severe," he said.
The committee added slightly to several of Minnesota's
self-imposed punishments, adding to recruiting limits and ordering
that all records of postseason tournaments during the misconduct
from 1993-98 be erased.
University President Mark Yudof said the school considers the
additional penalties fair, and no appeal would be made.
Coach Dan Monson said players and staff were "ecstatic" that
no postseason ban was levied.
"The last few days I've been really dreading and getting
nervous ... for the fact of having to face those players like I did
last year and tell them that dream is gone," Monson said.
"To be able to go to practice every day and have the
opportunity to strive for something, to strive for that goal, is a
very happy day for us."
The Saint Paul Pioneer Press broke the fraud story in March
1999, reporting that office manager and team tutor Jan Gangelhoff
had admitted writing more than 400 papers for at least 18 players
in a five-year period. The story prompted a nine-month, $2.2
million investigation by the university.
The NCAA report echoed the finding of Minnesota's internal
investigation that former coach Clem Haskins and academic adviser
Alonzo Newby participated in the fraud and helped cover it up.
After several denials over many months, Haskins admitted paying
Gangelhoff $3,000 in cash to help a student after she was ordered
to stay away from the team.
"The violations were significant, widespread and intentional,"
the NCAA report said. "More than that, their nature _ academic
fraud _ undermined the bedrock foundation of a university and the
operation of its intercollegiate athletics program."
A release from Haskins' attorneys said the committee's report
was "not acceptable" to Haskins and that the coach "denies that
he participated in academic fraud at the university." The release
said the university's investigation was "one-sided and used coach
Haskins as the scapegoat."
Friedenthal said the committee strongly considered adding
another year to the postseason ban. But committee members were
impressed that Minnesota held four implicated players out of the
Gophers' first-round NCAA tournament game the day after the
newspaper story appeared. The Gophers lost that day to Gonzaga.
The committee also was impressed, Friedenthal said, by
Minnesota's willingness to return 90 percent of money earned from
three NCAA tournaments, including the 1997 Final Four, estimated at
about $350,000.
"The steps they took in the self-imposed penalties we felt were
encouraging," Friedenthal said. "They were fairly severe."
Friedenthal considered the case closed but said it could be
reopened if new evidence were uncovered by federal prosecutors.
The "death penalty" -- shutting down the basketball program -- "certainly would be seriously considered" if Minnesota commits
similar violations within five years, Friedenthal said.
Gangelhoff, now a store clerk in Wisconsin, called the report
"thorough and just."
"I sighed with relief to see that the issue of lack of institutional control during Coach Haskins' reign was dealt with thoughtfully and seriously," Gangelhoff said. "As I stated months ago, this recognition by the NCAA would allow them to send a strong message to member institutions about their serious commitment to
academics."
|  | | University of Minnesota President Mark Yudov discusses the penalties levied against his school during Tuesday's news conference. |
In addition to probation, Minnesota must take down banners and
make no reference in school materials to the Gophers' participation
in three NCAA tournaments, including the 1997 Final Four, and two
National Invitation Tournaments, including its 1998 title.
The university had already reduced scholarships from 13 to 10
over the next two seasons, plus four scholarships to be spread
among the three seasons beginning in 2001-02. The NCAA cut the
scholarships by one more, to five.
David Swank, the immediate past chairman of the NCAA infractions
committee, said he was surprised the committee did not impose an
additional postseason ban. But the penalties it imposed were still
major, Swank said.
"One of the most significant penalties is the reduction in
scholarships," Swank said. "Coaches hate that. You're cutting the
squad from 13 to 10 or 11. That's tough."
For Haskins, who took a $1.5 million buyout to leave a few
months after the scandal broke, the NCAA report had an additional
stipulation. He must appear before the infractions committee if he
seeks a college sports job in the next seven years, and the
committee will determine whether his duties should be limited.
The release from Haskins' attorneys said Haskins would like to
coach again.
NCAA spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said 12 people have gone before
the committee in the past 10 years to "show cause," as it is
called.
The length of the probation also is major, Swank said.
"It's mostly an image problem," Swank said. "It's a black eye
for the university. Where it has an effect is when the coach goes
out to recruit, all the people recruiting against him will say,
'Did you realize they're on probation?"'
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 University of Minnesota officials reveal details on the NCAA penalties pertaining to academic fraud.
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 Dan Monson is relieved that the Gophers escaped a postseason ban.
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Minnesota President Mark Yudof believes justice has been served.
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