Editorial: Folt's mission clear - restore trust in, and reputation of, UNC
Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 -- While the NCAA report closes a chapter in the "paper course" saga, there are a lot of people, students, faculty, fans and supporters, counting on Chancellor Carol Folt and her administration to restore the public trust and regain UNC's cherished academic reputation.
Posted — UpdatedMuch of the damage from this mess could have been avoided if, early on, university officials had taken the initiative to address the concerns and very real failings head-on rather than stonewalling and lawyering up.
What is most stark is the university’s failure to oversee – provide proper management – to its own institution and academics. Did the administration not know what was going on in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies? If so, that’s bad. Did it know, but choose to ignore it? That’s even worse.
While UNC may have avoided any NCAA sanctions, don’t think for a minute those involved with the problems in the academic operations and the athletic department haven’t paid a price. A chancellor lost his job; administrators, faculty and staff were removed and replaced. At least $18 million – none of it from tuition or state appropriations – was spent in response. That’s money that was raised, but didn’t go to scholarships, better facilities, research or instruction.
Further, the NCAA adds more evidence to the growing reality that, as a governing body, it has outlived its ability to oversee big time athletic programs in this age of enormous revenue sports. Money – BIG BUCKS – has made division 1 football and basketball billion dollar businesses that require winning at all costs. The NCAA and university presidents need to get a grip or risk losing their institutional integrity.
Over the last five years the University of North Carolina – one of the top five public universities in the nation – has been taking repeated blows to the gut. The “Carolina Way” has been shaken.
While Friday’s report closes a chapter in this saga, there are a lot of people, students, faculty, fans and supporters, counting on Chancellor Folt and her administration to restore the public trust and regain UNC’s cherished academic reputation.
She’s made a good start.
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