North Carolina is challenging the NCAA’s jurisdiction in regards to the school’s six-year-long probe into its academic scandal.
“The Amended Notice of Allegations refer to core academic issues of course structure, content, and administrative oversight that are beyond the scope of authority granted to the NCAA by its members,” UNC’s response said. “Such matters concern fundamental issues of institutional and academic integrity, not athletics compliance, and the University has addressed them with its accreditor. They are not the proper subject of an NCAA enforcement action.”
Essentially, UNC is claiming that its academic misconduct issues fall outside the purview of NCAA enforcement because the problems extended beyond just student-athletes.
North Carolina also asserts that the NCAA knew many of the facts of the case when it sanctioned the school’s football program in 2012. It also raises issue regarding a four-year statute of limitations.
“The NCAA considered and resolved most of that alleged conduct in 2012,” the school said, “and the remainder should have been raised in that proceeding.”
The case centers on courses in the African and Afro-American Studies department which largely proved to be paper classes.
The NCAA has 60 days to respond to North Carolina.