A five-month internal investigation into the academic practices of the Ohio State football program found no wrongdoing, the school said Wednesday.
The probe — conducted by a committee of 10 OSU faculty members — was launched after the New York Times reported that star running back Maurice Clarett was granted preferential treatment and received a passing grade in a class despite walking out on a midterm exam.
Paulette Pierce, who taught African-American and African Studies 101, admitted giving Clarett oral tests in place of the midterm and final exams, but she said she was motivated by compassion for a needy student.
Teaching assistant Norma McGill said Clarett had accumulated only 22 of 40 points on quizzes. McGill also told the Associated Press that receiver Chris Vance was given a passing grade in the class despite scoring 55 percent on the midterm, 35 on the final, posting 11 unexcused absences and missing four of eight quizzes.
Pierce said Clarett and other players told her that tutors frequently did work for them.
The OSU panel conducted interviews with more than 60 individuals — including the players — did site visits, reviewed documents and submitted a 30-page report to school president Karen Holbrook. “Our university’s academic integrity is sound,” Holbrook said at a news conference. Asked how he came to the conclusion the program was clean, committee chair and chemistry professor Matthew Platz said: “We talked to lots and lots of people. When you hear the same story over and over again, we believed it. … The facts in this case were very easy to uncover.”
OSU said the NCAA concurred with the report.
“I can confirm that unless new information comes to light, the NCAA enforcement staff does not contemplate taking any further action on this matter,” NCAA spokesperson Kay Hawes said.
OSU gave copies of the report to the media, but much of it was blacked out, including eight pages in a section labeled, “Results of the Investigation.”
The school said it couldn’t disclose student information because of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
