National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

April 13, 1998

Savannah State receives probation, financial aid reduction

The NCAA Division II Committee on Infractions has placed Savannah State University on probation for four years and reduced the number of financial aid awards in six sports.

In addition, the school will forfeit all its wins in football, women's basketball and men's track and field for the 1993-94 through 1995-96 academic years. The committee also leveled other penalties.

The violations were of NCAA bylaws governing financial aid and institutional control and involved the sports of football, men's and women's basketball, men's track and field, baseball, and women's tennis.

During the 1994-95 academic year, the institution exceeded NCAA football financial aid limits by at least 28 scholarships, and during the 1995-96 academic year, the institution exceeded NCAA limits in women's basketball and football. The school also acknowledged that the violations occurred because of a lack of institutional control.

There were also violations of NCAA bylaws with regard to reducing financial aid without proper notice to at least 30 football student-athletes.

During the 1995-96 academic year, a men's track and field student-athlete practiced, competed and received athletically related financial aid even though he was not eligible under NCAA satisfactory-progress legislation.

In addition, the school did not demonstrate institutional control by failing to:

  • Monitor the awarding of football grants-in-aid.

  • Monitor the processing of athletics grants-in-aid.

  • Properly increase and gradate athletics aid during the period of the award.

  • Develop rules, education and administrative procedures for compliance with NCAA legislation.

  • Maintain NCAA forms as required.

  • Complete its five-year self-study within the required period.

    The university and NCAA enforcement staff submitted a summary-disposition report to the committee September 24, 1997. A summary disposition can be used when the enforcement staff, the university and any involved individuals agree on the facts and the facts constitute major violations. As a result, an expedited hearing on the penalties only was conducted in this case on October 16, 1997.

    The violations found by the committee included:

  • During the 1994-95 academic year, the institution exceeded NCAA financial aid limits in football by at least 28 awards.

  • During the 1993-94 through 1995-96 academic years, at least 14 student-athletes in six sports received athletics financial aid that exceeded the value of a full grant. During the 1995-96 academic year, the institution exceeded NCAA financial aid limits in football and women's basketball.

  • During the 1995-96 academic year, the institution reduced and adjusted financial aid awards without providing proper notification.

  • The institution did not maintain on file records required by NCAA rules.

  • During the 1995-96 academic year, a men's track and field student-athlete participated in intercollegiate athletics while ineligible.

  • There was a lack of institutional control.

    The committee noted that the institution self-reported violations and that it understood the commitment of the president and the new athletics administration to initiate appropriate corrective actions.

    In determining the appropriate penalties to impose, the committee considered the institution's self-imposed corrective actions, including:

  • In June 1995, termination of the head football coach for the 1993-94 and 1994-05 academic years.

  • In November 1996, termination of the head football coach for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 academic years.

  • In July 1996, hiring of an interim director of athletics and creation of a position for a compliance officer.

  • Creation of a system of checks and balances with the offices of financial aid, admissions and the registrar to assist in monitoring the athletics department.

  • Creation of a central administrative office for athletics.

  • Revision of the policies and procedures manual and development of a student-athlete handbook.

  • Agreement to submit to an institutional audit by the NCAA or an outside representative named by the NCAA for the 1996-97 through 1998-99 academic years.

    The committee adopted the following penalties proposed and self-imposed by the institution, including:

  • Vacation of all wins in football, women's basketball, and men's track and field for the 1993-94 through 1995-96 academic years.

  • Reduction by two in the number of permissible track and field financial aid awards for the 1998-99 academic year and by one for the 1999-2000 academic year.

  • Reduction by two in the number of permissible women's basketball financial aid awards for the 1998-99 academic year and by one for the 1999-2000 academic year.

  • Maximum of 25 official visits in football during the 1997-98 academic year and of 20 during the 1998-99 academic year.

    Because of the lack of institutional control, the significant competitive advantage gained, the length of time over which the violations occurred and the fact that multiple sports were involved, the committee imposed the following additional penalties:

  • Public reprimand and censure.

  • Four years of probation (instead of five years initially proposed by the committee prior to the expedited hearing).

  • Reduction by eight in the number of permissible football financial aid awards for the 1998-99 and the 1999-2000 academic years and by six for the 2000-2001 academic year.

  • Reduction by one in the number of permissible financial aid awards in women's tennis during the 1998-99 academic year.

  • Reduction by one in the number of permissible financial aid awards in men's basketball during the 1998-99 academic year.

  • Reduction by one in the number of permissible financial aid awards in baseball during the 1998-99 academic year.

  • Requirement that the institution continue to develop a comprehensive athletics compliance education program, with annual reports to the committee during the period of probation.

  • Requirement that the university send specified individuals to an NCAA compliance seminar.

  • Recertification of current athletics policies and practices.

    As required by NCAA legislation for any institution involved in a major infractions case, Savannah State University is subject to the provisions of the NCAA's repeat violators legislation for a five-year period beginning on the effective date of the penalties in this case, September 24, 1997.

    Because the university agreed to participate in the summary-disposition process and agreed to the findings of violations in this report, the university has waived the right to appeal the findings.

    The members of the Division II Committee on Infractions who heard this case are Milton L. Bradley, committee chair, professor of chemistry, Delta State University; Les Brinson, professor of psychology, North Carolina Central University; Frederick B. Lacey, attorney and retired judge, LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, Newark, New Jersey; and William Weidner, director of athletics, Ashland University.

    The complete report of the Division II Committee on Infractions will be published in the May 4 issue of The NCAA Register.