CNN report examines poor reading skills of former UNC athletes

The report focused on 183 athletes admitted to UNC between 2004 and 2012. About 60 percent were reading between fourth- and eighth-grade levels. Between 8 and 10 percent were reading below a third-grade level.

CNN based its findings on the work of Mary Willingham, the academic adviser in UNC’s Graduation Division.

According to CNN, with permission of the university, Willingham combed through eight years of test scores. Her research looked at whether the drive to win in sports is causing schools to enroll athletes who can't perform in the classroom.

"We do not believe that claim and find it patently unfair to the many student-athletes who have worked hard in the classroom and on the court and represented our university with distinction," the statement reads. "Our students have earned their place at Carolina, and we respect what they bring to the university both academically and athletically."

Administrators said they could not comment on the statistical claims in the report because they have not seen the data, which was analyzed by CNN.

"University officials have asked for that data, but those requests have not been met," officials said.

UNC head men's basketball coach Roy Williams commented on the story following his team's 63-57 loss to Miami on Thursday night, saying he didn't believe the story was true.

"It's totally unfair. I'm really proud of the kids we've brought in here. I'm really proud of what our student athletes have done," he said. "I've been here 10 recruiting classes, we haven't brought anybody in like that. We've had one senior since I've been here that did not graduate."

"Anybody can make any statement they want, but that is not fair. The University of North Carolina doesn't do that, the University of North Carolina doesn't stand for that. I don't think it's true, and I'm really, really bothered by the whole thing," he said. "People have taken their chances to beat up on us for quite a while. We're going to survive this. I'm really proud of my kids. Anybody that says anything like that, it's not right. I know what the program has been for 100 years." 

CNN found startling results at other schools as well. But UNC officials said they have implemented changes to correct problems that came to light during an NCAA investigation into the football program that began in 2010.

The school’s Department of African and Afro-American Studies was at the center of an investigation into academic fraud involving Tar Heel football players. The allegations focused on no-show classes, altered grades and other improprieties.

What began as a look at whether players were getting gifts from agents expanded to include a probe of the academic support system, revealing plagiarism and other improprieties, and resulted in punishment for the football team that extends into 2015.

An internal investigation led by former Gov. Jim Martin into academic irregularities at UNC revealed that any irregularities were concentrated in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies and dated to about 1994. Martin found no anomalies outside of that department and no specific link between the scandal and student-athletes.

Willingham said she is skeptical about whether changes undertaken by the school have made a difference.

“They say that we made 120 changes,” she told CNN. “You can make all the changes you want, but if you’re still not meeting students where they’re at, as an educator, and bringing them along so that they can have success in the classroom, then those changes are all for nothing.”