FSU issues statement of 'regret' in cheating incident

Former House Speaker T.K. Wetherell, his university and alma mater stinging from the NCAA cheating investigation into some two dozen athletes' class cheating, issued a statement of "regret" over the incident.

He also outlined changes made to avoid such a problem in the future.

See below for the full statement, just released this morning:

Florida State University deeply regrets that the misconduct of a few has affected so many.

It is important to understand that the violations focused on a poorly structured online course, lack of attention to detail by a faculty member, and insufficient oversight by the athletic department of one rogue tutor –- all coming together to result in a “contaminated” class.

No coaches were involved, and the student-athletes, who come from a number of sports, did not enroll in the course with the intent to do anything wrong. However, a university-employed tutor provided inappropriate help on exams, without the request of the student-athletes in many cases. But in the final analysis, these students made the decision to use the answers provided for an online exam, and they are suffering the consequences.

We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that this does not happen again. While we continue to implement corrective actions on the academic side, we also are appreciative of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference for their assistance as we work through the necessary punitive actions regarding athletics eligibility.

To prevent this kind of situation from developing again, the university’s provost has taken action to tighten academic controls, especially in regard to online courses. Specifically, the university has taken the following actions:

·      Modified the structure of the “contaminated” course;

·      Moved all tests for online classes to a testing center that requires a photographic ID and a pass code for students to enter; and

·      Required that all tests for online classes be overseen by proctors who have no connection to the athletic department.

These steps and others will bolster procedures that support academic integrity. We expect to provide a report to the NCAA governing body in early 2008.