Dec. 17, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – On Friday morning, the NCAA Infractions committee composed of six peers issued the disciplinary measures for Notre Dame.
For the first time in the history of Notre Dame athletics, the University received disciplinary measures of two years probation and the loss of one scholarship for each of those years.
“This is not a good day for Notre Dame. We are embarrassed by these incidents, troubled that they occurred, and we have taken action to deal with the issues involved,” Notre Dame President Edward Malloy said.
In order to ensure that University is obeying all NCAA rules, Notre Dame must file annual reports showing their compliance.
Jack H. Friedenthal, committee chair and professor of law at George Washington University delivered the news Friday morning. He, along with the committee, commended Notre Dame for the fact that all of the infractions were self-reported and the University has already taken precautionary steps to insure against this in the future.
The NCAA committee dealt with five infractions in the case. The first of which revolved around Kim Dunbar who between June 1995 and January 1998 provided extra gifts and various other benefits to numerous football players and their friends.
The second violation dealt with a separate University representative that also gave extra benefits to seven student-athletes beginning in fall of last year up until this summer. Thirdly, the NCAA investigated the tickets scandal revolving around former backup quarterback Eric Chappell who provided his girlfriend, a University employee, with complimentary tickets in order to repay a loan.
The fourth violations dealt with a student-athlete who paid a university employee to prepare an academic paper for a course, which the student was enrolled in.
The fifth violation deemed only a secondary violation dealt with the use of long distance telephone services by athletes at a bowl game.
Friedenthal commended Notre Dame for all of these violations being self-reported.
“Whether these incidents are characterized as secondary or major, they happened, and that is unacceptable and a matter of the highest concern to us,” Malloy said. “The incidents demonstrate the need for us to impress again on our student-athletes the behavioral expectations we have for them and the moral beliefs that underpin those expectations.”
The biggest issue with the Notre Dame case comes in the discussion of where to draw the line. Some of the infractions involved trying to decipher when does a gift become an infraction in terms of romantic relationships.
The committee’s release stated that it, “considered exchanges between the university and the NCAA’s membership services group regarding an interpretation of bylaws regarding provision of benefits from an individual who is ‘romantically involved’ with a student-athlete.”
The gifts prior to Dunbar joining the Quarterback Club were cleared of any violations. It was only after she joined the now defunct booster club that the gifts became violations since she became a University representative. Thus the gift-recipients were ineligible and should not have able to play. The ineligible players did play and the team gained a competitive advantage making the violations major. These violations did not all occur in one year but rather over a series of years.
“We have high standards for the conduct of athletics at Notre Dame and we will not compromise those standards,” Malloy said. “I can’t tell you that Notre Dame never again will have a problem in athletics. But I can tell you that Father Beauchamp and I and Mike Wadsworth already have made clear to all concerned the absolute need for constant vigilance, for prompt and complete reporting, and for early and decisive response when potential problems are detected, or even suspected.” Malloy furthered stated the University’s precautionary steps to ensure that a scandal like this would never happen again. Prior to today’s announcement, the University ordered the disbanding of the Quarterback Club and all other booster clubs of the sort. Also the school laid the groundwork for what Malloy described as an “early warning” policy in order to prevent events like this from happening.
Also the University broadened its Life Skills Program, which is a program that talks to athletes about all the rules, University and NCAA. Athletes are educated about gambling, drinking and other pertinent student-athlete issues.
The full NCAA release made no mention of the current coaching staff’s involvement. The committee did not report whether or not former head football coach Lou Holtz was ever contacted about the situation. Holtz maintains that he was never contacted.
“Notre Dame has a proud tradition in athletics, not only for doing well but also for doing right,” Malloy said. “We regret these incidents, and I pledge my own and my administration’s most diligent efforts to avoid such problems in the future.”
As for further comment on the NCAA ruling, there will be none. The University President is the only Notre Dame representative speaking on the matter.