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'06 GA LB Marcus Ball (Florida State signee; transfer to Memphis)

LordJeffBuck;1203813; said:
Orlando Sentinel - Andrew Carter's Chopping Block - May 5, 2008

Marcus has been released by Florida State, and will transfer - destination unknown.

Orlando Sentinel - Andrew Carter's Chopping Block - May 5, 2008

Commentary on Marcus Ball.

The Noles are imploding. There is much speculation that the NCAA is about to make their lives even more miserable. Even the Nole's second submission explaining the FSU Tutor/on-line course fraud was not accepted by the NCAA, and it is a fair bet that the self imposed game suspensions will not be blessed as appropriate punishment. I mean, if actual FSU employees aiding athletes in how to commit academic fraud so that the athletes stay eligible is not a beat down offense, what the hell is?

This guy ignores the fact that FSU has had several bad recruiting years, with inflated classes winding up with larger than expected casualties due to non-qualifiers, flunking out issues, and early departures. Depth is an FSU problem, and this does not help them.

Nice spin though. :biggrin:
 
Upvote 0
Here is a summary of the report FSU submitted to the NCAA. (From Nole board - thanks to Gatorguy for the entirety of the post)

"Thought it would help with the discussion. Please note there is no editorial comment from me in this.
It is just a summary of the report that was sent to the NCAA.

Summer 2006
When the report says academic improprieties started

Late March 2007
Monk asked one student athlete to enter answers on a test of another
After entering the answers, that student notified his academic adviser of what he did
The academic adviser notified Meleney who notified Laughlin
The info was forwarded to appropriate supervisory personnel
Upon receipt of the info, TK asked Office of Audit Services to review incident to see if isolated or widespread

April 3 2007
Monk put on administrative leave

Spring 2007
Audit Services begins investigating focusing on Monk and interview 31 athletes she had
regular interaction with. Comments from one of them led them to begin looking into the
tutor and the online course. They decided to identify all student athletes that had enrolled in
the course from Spring 2006 to Summer 2007. 146 were identified and 118 interviewed, primarily
those still with eligibility or living in Tallahassee. The Compliane Group (Karpinski, Smrt) were
retained to impartially analyze the report and began follow up interviews.

June, July, August 2007
The interviews of the 118 student athletes take place

July 5 2007
Monk resigns

On 27th of July of 2007
At Dave Hart's direction, Brian Battle of AD compliance department has conversation with
VP Price at NCAA about ongoing investigation

Early September
Audit staff completes rough draft of preliminary review and school begins withholding athletes from
competition who were involved with Monk or Tutor.
As the final draft was being completed and circulated to folks in the University, the institution
realized that an additional review of the information was needed by people with more experience
in NCAA legislation. During this time discussions were held with Provost Abele, Faculty Athletics
Representative Beckham, General Counsel Steffens, and members of athletics department.
The review became more formalized and the Univ formed a committee to coordinate additional actions
Committee was composed of Beckham, Steffens, Abele and Hart. Minnix and Battle of the Ath Dpt compliance
staff assissted the committee.The Compliance Group (Karpinski, Smrt) were retained to impartially
analyze the report and began follow up interviews.

On 26th of September of 2007
Letter from TK to NCAA VP Price indicating preliminary review is complete
Shortly thereafter, Smrt (TCG) contacted NCAA VP Price and it was determined the investigatiion
would continue and FSU would periodically update the NCAA Enforcement Staff. And it was
determined the Enforcement Staff would be involved in additional interviews.

October of 2007
The institution submits restoration requests for 22 of the initial 23 athletes that had been impacted
The University had discussions with the NCAA's Student Athlete Reinstatement group about information in
these restoration requests. Subsequent to the SAR groups initial decision in late October, the primary
focus in Nov and Dec was on numerous additional interviews that resulted in withholding an extensive
number of additional athletes from competition.
During interviews with the original 23 by Minnix and Karpinski (TCG) some of the athletes said that not every
one that cheated had admitted to it. This led to meetings/interviews with those that had taken the online
course but had not admitted anything. Only one more came clean.
The University's information technology group helped Provost Abele do an extensive analysis of course
results. The analysis helped the committee identify students for further interviews that had not admitted
to anything previously. Some athletes eligibility was suspended during this time and others not based
on meetings of the committee to review all the information. Because of the complexity of the whole thing
on Oct 24 they had a teleconference with NCAA VP Price who's advice was instrumental in giving the
committee direction for their decision making process and led to a declaration the course had been
compromised. The committee met in person to discuss this with Price on Nov 12 in conjunction with
meetings with the SAR.

November and December 2007
The NCAA Enforcement Staff was involved in additional interviews.
Much of the efforts of the University and The Compliance Group during October and November were
focused on submitting requests for restoration of eligibility for the impacted athletes. This activity
was concurrent with the further investigation.
Monk and the tutor were reinterviewed on Nov 7th (Monk) and 8th (tutor), with the NCAA enforcement staff.
In January the University and NCAA staff interviewed Monk again and the NCAA alone interviewed the
tutor.
(Not clear when) the University interviewed nearly all the AASS staff to determine who knew what within
the AASS and Athletic Dept about what Monk and tutor were doing.
After getting the NCAA to agree to lessen potential penalties to encourage more athletes to come forward,
December interviews with 75 more athletes produced 39 more athletes that said they cheated.
Meleney told on January 8 his contract would not be renewed

The Players
Hart is (was) the AD
Minnix is the Sr Assoc AD and reports to Hart with additional reporting to Steffens, FSUs general counsel
Battle is Assoc AD and reports to Minnix
AASS is Athletic Academic Support Services
Mark Meleney is director of AASS and reports to Hart and to Karen Laughlin Dean of Undergrad Studies
Brenda Monk was hired in 2000 as Asst Director of Educational Services and reported to Meleney
The Tutor was a grad student hired as a student and was asked to resign when they learned of the problems
Karpinkski and Smrt work for The Compliance Group a firm that specializes in NCAA matters hired by FSU

Brenda Monk
Directed one athlete to enter answers she provided for a test for another athlete.
Provided answers to athletes during tests.
Developed a notebook with prior exam questions and answers
She allowed athletes to use this notebook to take tests
Typed papers for students.
Provided assistance on papers to students.
She had access to athletes e-mail, ids and passwords that would allow her to do things
like get answers entered on tests without them there.
She assisted in writing and typing outlines for papers

The Tutor
Several athletes said it was common knowledge he would help with the tests
Some said they got an answer and some said he gave nearly all the answers during the tests
Some athletes said they scheduled study sessions with the tutor and he gave them the answers then
Some athletes said they were aware of when the tutor was in the lab and would go at those times for tests.
Some said that he corrected answers for them even without asking
Tutor said he got NCAA training twice a year
Tutor said tests were open book and he believed that his assistance was legal
Tutor said some athletes asked him for answers and that an AASS advisor or someone higher up asked
him to give answers. He stated that AASS advisors (plural) knew he was giving answers.
Tutor also said that learning specialists that worked for Monk encouraged him to provide answers.

AASS
AASS Advisors (plural) frequently recommended the course, purportedly because it met three
course requirements and could be taken online allowing athletes flexibility for travel and practice.
Meleney, director of AASS, did not adequately review information that Monk was typing papers as
was reported to him by at least two advisors. He questioned Monk, but undertook no further
inquiries and did not forward the information to FSUs compliance staff.
AASS Advisors not only suggested the course, but directed the athletes to work with "the tutor"
AASS Advisors encouraged or arranged for "the tutor" to be present when some athletes took tests
AASS did not effectively monitor the course, even though: 140 students took it in five semesters, grades
in the course were not consistent with grades the athletes got in other courses, AASS knew
Monk was checking out a binder to athletes with the exam questions and answers
AASS advisors deny directing athletes to get with "the tutor" but a number of different athletes say
that they did. AASS advisors deny knowing the tutor was giving athletes, but athletes believe they did
based on conversations.

The Course
In the spring 2007 semester, 62 of the 198 students enrolled in this course were athletes.
FSU notes that there was confusion about whether the course was open or closed book and the
structure of the course facilitated the opportunity for cheating. The course was further flawed
because the tests did not change from semester to semester.
Almost all the 60 to 70 students taking the course in spring 2007 were making an A
This post was edited on 7/12 9:59 AM by GatorGuyDallas"


I dunno, but it looks to me like three missed games won't cut it as a penalty. I am a Gator homer, but this looks like the dreaded lack of institutional control.

Maybe Bill can give us some Nole insight into the thinking over there about the liklihood of penalties.
 
Upvote 0
Gatorubet;1203848; said:
The Noles are imploding. There is much speculation that the NCAA is about to make their lives even more miserable. Even the Nole's second submission explaining the FSU Tutor/on-line course fraud was not accepted by the NCAA, and it is a fair bet that the self imposed game suspensions will not be blessed as appropriate punishment. I mean, if actual FSU employees aiding athletes in how to commit academic fraud so that the athletes stay eligible is not a beat down offense, what the hell is?

This guy ignores the fact that FSU has had several bad recruiting years, with inflated classes winding up with larger than expected casualties due to non-qualifiers, flunking out issues, and early departures. Depth is an FSU problem, and this does not help them.

Nice spin though. :biggrin:

Apparently the "speculation" has merit. Could this be the beginnnig of the end for Bobby Bowden at FSU?

NCAA sets Oct. 18 as date for FSU academic fraud hearing

Officials from Florida State University expect to appear in Indianapolis on Oct. 18 before the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions for a hearing relating to the university?s pending academic fraud case.
FSU President T.K. Wetherell last month requested the mid-October date and the NCAA granted his request in a June 24 letter that the university released on Tuesday.
The appearance before the Committee on Infractions could represent the beginning of the end for an academic fraud case that became public in August 2007.
The university in February submitted to the NCAA the results of FSU?s months-long internal investigation, which found that more than 60 athletes had engaged in various degrees of academic misconduct, some of it perpetrated by former personnel within the university?s office of Athletic Academic Support Services.
FSU?s report included several self-imposed punitive actions, including the placement of the athletic department on two years? probation and an unspecified scholarship reduction across several sports. NCAA officials and The Compliance Group_a consulting firm specializing in NCAA matters_assisted FSU during its investigation.

Entire article: NCAA sets Oct. 18 as date for FSU academic fraud hearing - BostonHerald.com
 
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