http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/ncaa-athletes-unc-response/index.html

Quote :

"The death threats, Mary Willingham expected. More shocking is that the University of North Carolina is now disavowing her research as a whistle-blower -- research that showed between 8% and 10% of the school's football and basketball players are reading below a third-grade level. UNC issued a statement Wednesday night saying it did not believe Willingham's account of a basketball player who could not read or write. It went on: "University officials can't comment on the other statistical claims mentioned in the story because they have not seen that data. University officials have asked for that data, but those requests have not been met." As well as questioning UNC many times about the story before publication, CNN has also detailed Willingham's research. And purported e-mail exchanges obtained by CNN since August show that Willingham did share her findings at least twice -- once with Executive Vice Provost James W. Dean Jr., and once with a member of a university committee on academics and athletics. In addition, Willingham says her research on the students in the athletics programs that make money for the university was done based on screenings that the university itself paid for. And, she says, she has gotten permission from the university several times since 2008 to access those findings to continue her research. "It's already available to them," Willingham said. "It's in their system. ... They have all the data and more. It belongs to them, and they paid a lot of money for it." Last year, when CNN asked UNC for comment on Willingham's research, officials initially denied knowing about it, and said: "Such analysis is not part of her job duties at the university." Then, after being shown the e-mails, a spokesperson admitted that Willingham did share her findings and did have permission from the university to do the research in the first place, and said a meeting with Willingham was being scheduled. Apart from Wednesday's statement, UNC has not responded to CNN's request for an explanation. In the meantime, Willingham said she has heard from one branch of the university -- the Department of Public Safety. Since CNN's report, Willingham said she's gotten four death threats, and more than 30 other alarming messages. "Not people who disagree, people who put in the subject or body (of the e-mail) straight-up hate speech," she said. But there have also been notes of support from several other academic advisers around the country, Willingham says, and they make it worth the trouble. "I've been getting more and more nice notes from high school teachers and literacy specialists across the country saying 'Thank you.'" A formal incident report hasn't been made yet, but university police said: "We are looking into it and making effort to reach out and investigate the nature of the threats." "It's really OK," Willingham said of the threats, "because I'm telling the truth.""

1/10/2014 8:25:03 AM

1/10/2014 8:39:22 AM

I think a Billy Madison style scholastic competition should be used to test them

1/10/2014 8:42:00 AM

haha, so after that researcher came out with that study, UNC basically publicly said 1. We don't believe your research, and 2. UNC didn't approve of doing this study (even though they funded it)

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/ncaa-athletes-unc-response/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

[Edited on January 10, 2014 at 8:43 AM. Reason : Link]

1/10/2014 8:43:27 AM

No doubt the threats came from esteemed UNC alumni not from someone standing in the sweatshirt rack at the Goldsboro walmart.

1/10/2014 8:45:41 AM

Just read the article, I guess anyone affiliated with a university that submitted data could have sent it from their respective walmart

1/10/2014 9:42:52 AM

Here was the original article

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/us/ncaa-athletes-reading-scores/index.html

Here's WRAL's response:
http://www.wral.com/unc-system-report-details-athletes-academic-qualifications/13286604/

Here's a NYTimes Artilce:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/sports/as-for-athletes-but-charges-of-tar-heel-fraud.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1

Here's the third story in that Bloomberg BusinessWeek did:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-10/unc-officials-lash-out-at-academic-fraud-whistleblower

1/10/2014 9:59:15 AM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/01/10/3522277/unc-whistleblower-stands-firm.html

1/10/2014 11:19:54 PM

I enjoy when Sports Talk topics are pertinent enough to spill over into Chit Chat, especially when they negatively talk shit about UNC

except when BlackDog does it, he's the worst!

1/10/2014 11:50:49 PM

Accuse an academic of lying when she unearths something scandalous and shameful for the country, and then send her death threats.

LOL USA Afghanistan

Next thing you know, cops and FBI will show up at her door, anally digitally rape her, and accuse of her terrorism, treason, and aiding and abetting the enemy.


[Edited on January 11, 2014 at 2:10 AM. Reason : ]

1/11/2014 2:03:58 AM

I guess JR really couldn't Reid

1/11/2014 3:14:02 AM

LOL, Willingham did her research and shared the results with UNC officials. UNC of course, did not like what they saw and asked her for the supporting raw data. Willingham then said she cannot due to FERPA regulations, but since the data is theirs, it would readily be available to them in their system to access. UNC now claims they repeatedly asked her for info, but she refused, and hence they don't believe her findings. . WTF

[Edited on January 11, 2014 at 4:07 AM. Reason : ]

1/11/2014 4:03:45 AM

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/NCAA-Riches-to-NBA-Rags-No-8-J-R-Reid?urn=ncaab,169160

1/11/2014 7:55:08 AM

From Sports Talk

Quote :

""Amanda Albright ? @ amanda_albright4m @danielschere just got word from Mary Willingham that she will appear on The Colbert Report Thursday night""

1/14/2014 10:10:20 AM

Well this explains the parking tickets...

1/14/2014 10:12:55 AM

lulz

1/14/2014 10:16:30 AM

Quote :

""Dan Kane @dankanenando 15m Just got word from Jay Smith that Willingham is not going to be on Colbert, but the story might. Not surprising for a topical show.""

1/14/2014 12:40:27 PM

1/14/2014 4:59:51 PM

1/14/2014 6:04:25 PM

Quote :

"I guess JR really couldn't Reid"

10/23/2014 12:22:03 PM

just look at UNC's high academic standards: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/10/23/358310267/report-says-unc-grade-boosting-scandal-involved-fake-classes

10/23/2014 6:34:14 PM

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/u-n-c-boosters-outraged-athletes-took-real-classes

10/24/2014 11:05:14 AM