President Jo Ann Gora said student-athletes should be held accountable for violating an NCAA "extra benefits" rule, while athletic director Bubba Cunningham said it was too early to place blame on anyone.
"I think the accountability is with the students who violated the rules, and they certainly have been held accountable," Gora said. "They've been fined, and they have been suspended from games, and they have had to do public service."
Once the ongoing investigation is complete, Cunningham said the university should look at who would be held accountable.
"I don't think we're there yet," Cunningham said. "We haven't completed the review. I think once we do that as a university we need to look at [who's accountable]."
So far, 53 athletes have been found in violation of NCAA bylaw 15, which states that institutions can provide financial aid to student-athletes to cover the cost of required course-related books.
Violations occurred when student-athletes were either purchasing books not required or giving books to friends or other athletes without book loan privileges.
Cunningham said the athletic department recently finished reviewing textbook purchases made by the football team, but he is unsure if the rest of the fall sports have been reviewed.
The athletic department's business affairs division did review the records received from the Ball State Bookstore in past years, Cunningham said. However, he would not elaborate on the process or whether Director of Compliance and Eligibility Dave Land reviewed the records.
"I don't want to get into the whole summary discussion of the review and the processes," he said. "When we're done with the whole review, then we can talk about how we can ensure that the process is good."
Given the challenging task facing the athletic department, Gora said the department has done the best job it could have.
"I think it's a very unfortunate circumstance, but as I have said, I believe it's a teachable moment" Gora said. "It's a moment in which it would be important for us to sit down and talk to our athletes and explain how they thought that they were doing a kind, considerate thing for their teammates or classmates, but in point of fact what they did was a rule violation and that that has now negatively impacted their career and their team's career and the university."
When Gora took office, one of the goals she had was to use athletics as a way to help promote the university.
"Athletics is one of many arenas in which the university's name can be promoted," Gora said. "I do believe that we will see great results from athletics in the years to come, as we have in the past. We are going through a very difficult time now, and I'm sure it's difficult for the players, and it's difficult for the coaches, but we will all get through this, and I'm sure that we will have better seasons, and we will have seasons in which we are very proud of the results."
Cunningham said he always worries about how people view the institution and athletes. During the course of the investigation he said he has heard many differing opinions on how the violations have been handled.
"I hear a whole range of questions and a whole range of evaluations of this issue," Cunningham said. "I think you could look at a lot of different percentages of blame, but I don't think this is the appropriate time to do that."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
