Press release adressing NCAA infractions

[statefan]

UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

 

For Immediate Release

Contact: Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150

mediarelations@uamail.albany.edu

 

UAlbany Officials Address NCAA Decision on Baseball, Football Programs

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 27, 2009) -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Committee on Infractions accepted the University at Albany's findings and self-imposed corrective actions and penalties related to rules violations by staff of the University's baseball and football teams. The NCAA's report found the case to be narrow in scope.

 

In December 2007, during a routine monitoring of recruiting activities under its NCAA Athletics Rules Compliance Program, the University discovered impermissible text messages sent to recruits by some members of the football coaching staff in violation of a recently enacted NCAA rule that banned such electronic communications. Subsequent monitoring revealed additional text messages by the head baseball coach who misunderstood the limited exceptions to the ban.

 

Upon discovering the violations, the University took immediate action to prevent further violations, implemented appropriate corrective action and promptly notified the NCAA. UAlbany worked closely with NCAA enforcement staff to finalize the process.

 

With respect to the violations involving the football team, the University disabled the text-messaging feature on the recruiting software tool used by the football staff and through which the majority of the impermissible text messages were sent, restricted the football staff's ability to recruit during the key football recruiting contact period for 2008, and reported the infractions, including a series of additional self-imposed corrective actions and penalties, to the NCAA. Further, given the nature of the violations, the University concluded that a two-year probationary period consisting of attention to enhanced rules education and compliance monitoring and the submission of annual written reports to the NCAA was appropriate.

 

In the baseball matter the University also reported the violations to the NCAA and immediately self-imposed corrective actions including deactivation of the texting capabilities on the head coach's cell phone, a one-year ban on off-campus recruiting by the coach and a reduction by one in the number of allowable grants-in-aid in the baseball program for the 2009-2010 academic year.

 

"We thank the NCAA and committee members for their fairness in accepting our recommendations of restrictions for our football and baseball teams," said George M. Philip, Interim President. "We are committed to educating our coaches, staff, and student athletes to ensure that all of our athletics teams are in compliance with NCAA regulations."

 

The discovery, self-reporting and response to these violations is a testament to the University's commitment to rules compliance in its athletics programs. The NCAA enforcement staff, in working with the University to confirm the limited scope of the violations, lauded the University for maintaining a highly accessible and visible compliance staff, which made daily visits to the athletics offices in order to be readily available to and observant of its coaches. The NCAA also acknowledged that a finding of a lack of institutional control over the athletic programs was not warranted because of the limited scope of the violations, the University's efforts to educate staff on the applicable NCAA rule and its swift response once the infractions were discovered.

 

"The entire athletics department at UAlbany will continue to review and regularly monitor text messaging throughout its entire intercollegiate athletics program," said Lee McElroy, Vice President of Athletic Administration and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "The compliance office regularly reviews NCAA regulations with coaches and staff, and takes corrective actions when necessary. It was through effective monitoring that the infractions were detected and corrected."

 

UAlbany remains committed to maintaining full compliance with NCAA regulations. The regular review of coaches' cellular phone records is an important element of the system for monitoring recruiting that is engaged and functioning at the University. UAlbany will continue to report any infractions that may occur despite best efforts, and seek to keep coaches and staff up-to-date on NCAA policies for athletics.

 

For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS feed, http://www.albany.edu/news/feeds.shtml.

 

Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNY puts “The World Within Reach” for its 18,000 students. An internationally recognized research university with 56 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs, UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice. With a curriculum enhanced by 300 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers. For more information about this globally ranked institution, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.htm.

 

# # #

[danefan]

I heard about this a while back. To me it seems like it was a misunderstanding of the rules as opposed to a blatant violation.

 

However, it was self-reported and handled correctly. I don't expect it to have any major impact on recruiting with the exception of the one lost scholarship for baseball.

 

 

I can't wait to hear the TU's take on this one and the backlash of negative letters to the editor they publish.

[Clickclack]

The A-holes are already at it....

 

NCAA punishes UAlbany for "major violations"

 

Sensationalism at it's finest!

[danefan]

The A-holes are already at it....

 

NCAA punishes UAlbany for "major violations"

 

Sensationalism at it's finest!

 

 

HAHAHA!

 

How predictable! MAJOR?????

 

Really? Improper text messaging is major? I hope Singleas didn't write the title.

[Clickclack]

Reduced "scholarships"....plural? The reduction was ONE scholarship taken away from the baseball team if I'm not mistaken....I might have to re-read the story again.

[Clickclack]

The A-holes are already at it....

 

NCAA punishes UAlbany for "major violations"

 

Sensationalism at it's finest!

 

 

HAHAHA!

 

How predictable! MAJOR?????

 

Really? Improper text messaging is major? I hope Singleas didn't write the title.

 

He sure DID! Back on the $iena list he goes!

[statefan]

The following is the text of the NCAA Press Release:

 

Division I Committee on Infractions Issues Decision on University at Albany

 

 

For Immediate Release

 

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Contact(s)

 

Stacey Osburn

Associate Director of Public and Media Relations

317/917-6117

 

 

 

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INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has penalized University at Albany for major violations in its football and baseball programs.

 

The case was narrow in scope and involved the use of text messaging, an impermissible form of electronic correspondence to prospective student-athletes, and a failure to monitor by the university.

 

Penalties in this case include a two-year probation, scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions.

 

This case was resolved through the summary disposition process, a cooperative effort where the case is submitted to the Committee on Infractions in written form. This process is used instead of a formal hearing for cases when the NCAA enforcement staff, the university and involved individuals agree to the facts of the case and the penalties proposed by the university.

 

On 36 occasions during the 2007 fall semester, following the effective date of NCAA rules eliminating text-message communication with prospective student-athletes, several assistant football coaches sent impermissible text messages to prospective student-athletes. The majority of the text messages were sent using a recruiting software program that enabled a coach to type a single message and send it to several prospective student-athletes at once. As a result, the 36 occasions when football coaches sent text messages resulted in 331 messages sent and 220 prospective student-athletes contacted. Further, during the summer of 2008, the head baseball coach sent 56 impermissible text messages to five prospects.

 

The committee found that the university’s failure to detect and prevent the text messages sent by the football staff demonstrated a failure to monitor. The committee found that while the university compliance staff knew the recruiting software was being used, it did not fully understand its capabilities, and as a result, failed to monitor the use of the software to detect the impermissible text messaging activity in the football program until Dec. 12, 2007.

 

The penalties in this case are as follows:

 

• Public reprimand and censure.

 

• Two years of probation (Jan. 27, 2009, to Jan. 26, 2011). (Institution imposed).

 

• Reduction in baseball athletic scholarships will be limited to no more than 10.7 for 2008-09 academic year. This represents a reduction of one equivalency from the maximum of 11.7 equivalencies in baseball. (Institution imposed).

 

• Limit of number of football official paid visits to 28 for the 2008-09 academic year. This represents a reduction of 12 from the average number of official visits (40) during the previous four years. (Institution imposed).

 

• The head baseball coach is restricted from all off-campus recruiting activities for one year beginning Aug. 21, 2008. (Institution imposed).

 

• Temporary suspension of recruiting activities for the involved football assistant coaches, as noted in the public report. (Institution imposed).

 

• Suspension of football recruiting activities for four weeks from December 2007 to February 2008. (Institution imposed).

 

• Reduction in the number of football coaches who are allowed to engage in off-campus recruiting at any one time for one year from February 2008 to February 2009. (Institution imposed).

 

• The university suspended recruitment of each prospective student-athlete to whom a message was sent for two weeks for each week during which an impermissible message was sent. (Institution imposed).

 

The members of the Committee on Infractions who reviewed this case include Paul Dee, lecturer of law and education at the University of Miami and formerly the institution's general counsel. He is the chair of the Committee on Infractions. Other members are Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, the Richard H. Larson Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law; Eileen Jennings, general counsel at Central Michigan University; Alfred Lechner, Jr., attorney; Dennis Thomas, the commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and formerly director of athletics at Hampton University; Andrea Meyers, athletic director emeritus, Indiana State University; and James Park Jr., attorney, Lexington, Kentucky.

[danefan]

And BTW, I take my "misunderstanding of the rules statement". Its kind of hard to misundertand a flat ban on text messaging to recruits.

 

But oh well. The f'ed up and rightfully punished themselves. Done and over with.

[danes05]

Obviously, this is not a "major violation". This texting thing has been an issue for many schools the last few years. That said, it's never good to have this sort of thing happen. Kudos to the University for taking the initiative to fix the situation and come clean. Hopefully, we can quickly move past this.

[Clickclack]

Boysidid

 

I'm trying to get this post up on the TU's website about the UA NCAA violations, but it has been denied 3 times..I think the TU is getting paid off by Siena's Rose & Kiernan boosters and will do whatever it takes to keep negative publicity out of their papers and website.

Siena plays in the Times Union Center therefore if what your saying about them delaying stories or sweeping them under the rug is true it’s pretty easy to figure out why. Siena’s biggest sponsor is Rose & Kiernan they have plenty of money to throw at the TU to keep the stories under wraps to avoid negative publicity from the local media who owns the arena that the Saints play in. I wonder how much Siena’s rich boosters have thrown at Kenny Hasbrouck or Edwin Ubiles, I bet they are playing on Xbox 360’s with 60in HDTV’s in off campus apartments paid for by Siena’s boosters right now. A lot of the boosters work for Rose & Kiernan and have plenty of money to throw around at the players and TU reporters. I bet a few beat writers have cashed a check or two themselves from the boosters to not write about the players taking the drunk bus downtown. (What is wrong with this post that you won’t put it up?)

 

Help me out here! Am I stupid or do my eyes/brain deceive me?

 

DoggyStyle, I have no authority to put anything up! I have no more authority on the TU blogs then you or anyone else.

[Big D]

Boysidid

 

I'm trying to get this post up on the TU's website about the UA NCAA violations, but it has been denied 3 times..I think the TU is getting paid off by Siena's Rose & Kiernan boosters and will do whatever it takes to keep negative publicity out of their papers and website.

Siena plays in the Times Union Center therefore if what your saying about them delaying stories or sweeping them under the rug is true it’s pretty easy to figure out why. Siena’s biggest sponsor is Rose & Kiernan they have plenty of money to throw at the TU to keep the stories under wraps to avoid negative publicity from the local media who owns the arena that the Saints play in. I wonder how much Siena’s rich boosters have thrown at Kenny Hasbrouck or Edwin Ubiles, I bet they are playing on Xbox 360’s with 60in HDTV’s in off campus apartments paid for by Siena’s boosters right now. A lot of the boosters work for Rose & Kiernan and have plenty of money to throw around at the players and TU reporters. I bet a few beat writers have cashed a check or two themselves from the boosters to not write about the players taking the drunk bus downtown. (What is wrong with this post that you won’t put it up?)

 

 

What does this have to do with Siena? The UA NCAA violations are confirmed in a press release and UA press conference. This will be reported by the press . No surprise there. Your post was probably blocked because it is borderline defamatory, wildly speculative, and irrelevant to the NCAA's sanction of our baseball and football team. I personally don't think the texting issue constitutes a "major" violation, but the TU headline was "quoting" the NCAA press release.

 

Lets move on and focus on tomorrow's game.

[UAalum72]

Wyland said texting is improper only during certain time periods. Not sure if he's correct on that. B ut this is a relatively new rule as some places were flooding recruits with multiple texts every day.

[danefan]

Wyland said texting is improper only during certain time periods. Not sure if he's correct on that. B ut this is a relatively new rule as some places were flooding recruits with multiple texts every day.

 

Wyland is incorrect. I thought that was the case also, but I was "educated" on AGS about it. Totally banned in April and then confirmed in August of 2007.

[bob87]

What does this have to do with Siena? The UA NCAA violations are confirmed in a press release and UA press conference. This will be reported by the press . No surprise there. Your post was probably blocked because it is borderline defamatory, wildly speculative, and irrelevant to the NCAA's sanction of our baseball and football team. I personally don't think the texting issue constitutes a "major" violation, but the TU headline was "quoting" the NCAA press release.

 

Lets move on and focus on tomorrow's game.

 

 

 

I agree.

This doesn't have anything to do with the UA- Hartford game either and should be a separate thread.

The text violation is one issue and the TU bias for Siena is another issue that has been talked about in the past.

[DanesRGood]

Boysidid

 

I'm trying to get this post up on the TU's website about the UA NCAA violations, but it has been denied 3 times..I think the TU is getting paid off by Siena's Rose & Kiernan boosters and will do whatever it takes to keep negative publicity out of their papers and website.

Siena plays in the Times Union Center therefore if what your saying about them delaying stories or sweeping them under the rug is true it’s pretty easy to figure out why. Siena’s biggest sponsor is Rose & Kiernan they have plenty of money to throw at the TU to keep the stories under wraps to avoid negative publicity from the local media who owns the arena that the Saints play in. I wonder how much Siena’s rich boosters have thrown at Kenny Hasbrouck or Edwin Ubiles, I bet they are playing on Xbox 360’s with 60in HDTV’s in off campus apartments paid for by Siena’s boosters right now. A lot of the boosters work for Rose & Kiernan and have plenty of money to throw around at the players and TU reporters. I bet a few beat writers have cashed a check or two themselves from the boosters to not write about the players taking the drunk bus downtown. (What is wrong with this post that you won’t put it up?)

 

 

What does this have to do with Siena? The UA NCAA violations are confirmed in a press release and UA press conference. This will be reported by the press . No surprise there. Your post was probably blocked because it is borderline defamatory, wildly speculative, and irrelevant to the NCAA's sanction of our baseball and football team. I personally don't think the texting issue constitutes a "major" violation, but the TU headline was "quoting" the NCAA press release.

 

Lets move on and focus on tomorrow's game.

 

 

I agree.

This doesn't have anything to do with the UA- Hartford game either and should be a separate thread.

The text violation is one issue and the TU bias for Siena is another issue that has been talked about in the past.

 

I think he meant to reply to this post.

 

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