Classes, what classes?

Once again, the NCAA is investigating the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, for various forms of academic fraud.

In 2012, several investigations yielded evidence that from 2007 to 2011 classes, grades, faculty signatures were falsified and covered up in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies to benefit football players. Now, a former Tar Heel basketball player of the 2004-05 national championship team, Rashad McCants, is alleging that he benefited from similar types of fraud, including no-show classes.

Andrea Adelson of ESPN reports further:

NCAA again investigating UNC

Earlier this month, former North Carolina basketball player Rashad McCants made headlines when he alleged academic fraud to “Outside the Lines,” saying he had papers written for him and that no-show classes helped keep him eligible. A copy of his transcript obtained by “Outside the Lines” showed that in his African-American Studies classes he had 10 A’s, six B’s, one C and one D. In his other classes, McCants got six C’s, one D and three F’s.

McCants, who played on the Tar Heels’ 2004-05 national championship team, told ESPN’s Steve Delsohn in an email exchange Monday that the NCAA has not contacted him yet.

“The University of North Carolina serves as an example of America’s education system for the future leaders and icons in sports,” McCants’ email said. “Free education no compensation has proven over time to be a criminal cover up to exploit teenagers and their families through the national letter of intent. If we as athletes were being paid to work for these universities like unc proper education in career fields would come at the result of the athletes performance academically.

“There are resolutions I have created that could rid any further academic fraudulent activity amongst any university in the future,” the email continued. “But until there is a sit down meeting amongst the players and the ncaa there will never be any resolution. I’m calling all college student athletes to stand up and demand resolution demand a sit down. #defendstudentathletes.”

North Carolina coach Roy Williams denied the charges, telling ESPN he was in “shock” and “disbelief” over the allegations. However, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer reported that McCants was not the only member of the 2005 team who was enrolled in no-show classes to stay eligible.

The newspaper gathered data that showed “five members of that team … accounted for a combined 39 enrollments in classes that have been identified as confirmed or suspected lecture classes that never met.”

In the wake of the scandal, the university has instituted several academic reforms based on findings from earlier reports.

“We remain committed to learning from our past so that we can move forward to building a stronger university,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement.