UNC Academic Scandal: NCAA Reopens Investigation, Could Impose More Sanctions Pending Results

The NCAA has announced it will reopen its investigation into the ongoing academic scandal at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.

According to ESPN, the NCAA found evidence of academic fraud and improper benefits on the school's football team in their previous probe conducted in 2012. UNC received sanctions such as a postseason ban and a loss of scholarships.

The school has also conducted several of its own reviews since 2011 and found 54 classes in the African American Studies (AFAM) dept. highly likely of being fraudulent. From 2007 to 2011, these classes met rarely, if at all, and were made up mostly of student-athletes on the football and basketball teams. Known as "paper classes," these courses required one term paper for a final grade.

UNC has posted the reports from their previous probes on their website and they can be seen here.

"The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, was cited by the Division I Committee on Infractions in 2012 for violations in its athletics program, including academic misconduct," the NCAA said in a statement. "As with any case, the NCAA enforcement staff makes clear it will revisit the matter if additional information becomes available. After determining that additional people with information and others who were previously uncooperative might be willing to speak with the enforcement staff, the NCAA has reopened its investigation.

"The enforcement staff is exploring this new information to ensure an exhaustive investigation is conducted based on all available information. The NCAA will not comment further to protect the integrity of the investigation."

Former UNC basketball player Rashad McCants, appeared on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" to admit to taking these paper classes and enrolled in four such courses in one semester. He said his involvement in these AFAM paper classes even got him on the Dean's List.

McCants said UNC's head basketball coach since 2003, Roy Williams, knew about these paper classes and that his players were taking them. Williams later appeared on ESPN to dispute these claims.

"Since 2011, the University has conducted and commissioned numerous reviews of this matter and provided the NCAA with updates," UNC said in a statement regarding the NCAA's reopening of its investigation. "In February, the University retained former federal prosecutor Kenneth Wainstein to conduct an independent investigation and instructed him to share relevant information directly and confidentially with the NCAA."