Holland Gives ECU $25,000 Check

“There is no doubt that this incident has created a great deal of embarrassment for ECU and for many good individuals who care about the university and who also care about me,” Holland wrote in a letter to Chancellor Steve Ballard.

A school auditor said a $25,000 aid package to a Holland family member was "inappropriate" and amounted to special treatment when compared with other students working in the department.

Holland's 51-year-old brother, Gregg, is a business student at ECU. The audit said no specific policies were violated but called the aid an "inappropriate expenditure."

The school, according to the audit, has asked Judith Bailey, senior executive director of enrollment management, to review ECU policies on student aid and to develop procedures "for the appropriate and consistent awarding of aid to students."

Bailey could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Terry Holland, in a statement Wednesday, said, “Immediately after meeting with the auditors in September, in addition to ending the employment agreement, I made a commitment to increase my Circle of Excellence gift from $50,000 to $75,000 to insure that the athletic department was not disadvantaged in any way by the agreement that had just been terminated. I am enclosing a check for $25,000 to ECU — instead of the Circle of Excellence — to fulfill that commitment.”

Gregg Holland, who began receiving financial assistance from the athletics department in the fall semester of 2006 and who worked part-time for the department, had been awarded a total of $16,639.19 for tuition, fees, books, room and board. His brother canceled the award, effective Sept. 30.