On August 17, 2018, an NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (COI) panel determined that a former University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) assistant men’s basketball coach, who was not identified in the decision, engaged in academic misconduct on behalf of two student-athletes. Further, the coach also violated NCAA ethical conduct rules when he failed to cooperate with the investigation.
According to the COI panel, the coach violated academic policies when, in the summer of 2017, he obtained two student-athletes’ computer login information for two online French courses, logged on to the courses, completed all homework assignments, and took their tests. In September 2017, ULM’s Senior Associate Athletic Director informed the NCAA of a possible academic misconduct violation in the men’s basketball program. In October 2017, the student-athletes reported that the coach completed all of their work in one online summer course and all but the oral exams in another.
An investigation was later conducted, but the coach provided false information in an interview. The coach only admitted to completing exams for the first course, but he insisted that the student-athletes completed the rest of the assignments for the course and all exams and assignments for the second course. After the student-athletes gave information contrary to the coach’s account, the coach then refused to participate in a second interview.
As punishment, the COI panel required ULM to self-impose two years of probation, starting August 16, 2018 through August 16, 2020. Further, ULM is required “[a] six-year show-cause order for the former assistant coach. During that period, any NCAA member school employing the former assistant coach must suspend him from all athletically related duties.” Lastly, ULM will be fined $5,000 plus 0.5 percent of the 2018-19 budget of the men’s basketball program. According to the decision, ULM has the opportunity to appeal the penalties.