Martin: 'We will go where the evidence takes us'
Former North Carolina Gov. Jim Martin used the words "academic investigator" Friday when describing his role in digging deeper into the improprieties within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill African and Afro-American Studies Department.
Posted — Updated“We need to have confidence that our higher education institutions are meeting their first obligation, which is to teach and to do research,” Martin said. “That, as part of the ancillary activities of what's so exciting (about) college level sports, (is) we want to see that is a legitimate part of the academic community.”
“And non-athletes, if you have a class that gives an easy grade to everybody, I think that needs to be identified as a corruption of the process,” Martin said.
Martin said Thorp told him everything is fair game in the investigation – no restrictions, no limitations. The report of Martin's findings will be made public once it is complete.
A school spokesperson says that firm is providing services beyond this issue.
UNC confirmed Friday that communications consultant Doug Sosnick has been working for the school since Aug. 1. Details on his compensation have not been finalized.
The school says none of the bills are being paid with taxpayer dollars.
The North Carolina Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in Michael McAdoo’s lawsuit against the school, Thorp and the NCAA on Sept. 13.
The former UNC football player, who was caught up in the academic scandal and lost a year on the field, filed a lawsuit last August seeking damages stemming from his being ruled ineligible. That lawsuit was dismissed in November and he filed an appeal in June.
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