Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 10, 1993 TAG: 9302100038
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
VSAF VERDICT EXPECTED IN THE SPRING
Almost two years after the initial disclosure, a verdict is near in the case involving loans made to student-athletes by the Virginia Student Aid Foundation.The school reported that UVa President John Casteen appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions on Monday in San Antonio, Texas.
"It means it's all over but the awarding of the sanctions," said Alan Williams, faculty chairman for athletics at UVa and immediate past president of the infractions committee.
"The hearing means the investigation is finished."
Chuck Smrt, director of enforcement for the NCAA, said the committee usually required four to six weeks to deliberate on its findings and write a report. In a news release, the school said the committee's findings are "expected in the spring."
The hearing takes place after a school is given the opportunity to respond to alleged NCAA violations contained in an official letter of inquiry.
Athletic director Jim Copeland was one of 11 UVa representatives at the hearing, which lasted almost six hours. Football coach George Welsh was the only coach at the meeting.
"I don't feel comfortable talking about substantive things," Copeland said. "I will say that I was pleased with the thoroughness of our report and our preparation for the hearing.
"There wasn't a whole lot in the [official inquiry] or our response that wasn't contained in the report."
The loans, many in apparent violation of NCAA guidelines, were detailed in a 543-page report made public by the school April 23, 1992. Sources familiar with the investigation said the NCAA did not find any "smoking guns."
"The [UVa] report was about as thorough as you can get," Williams said. "However, I don't know if anybody [outside the committee] had access to the report by the special investigator."
James Park, a Lexington, Ky., lawyer, was hired by the NCAA to determine the role of NCAA Executive Director Dick Schultz, who was athletic director at Virginia for part of the time the loans were made, 1982-1990.
Approximately 30 student-athletes received the loans, apparently in violation of NCAA legislation governing extra benefits.
It is generally believed that UVa will receive some sort of probation. Whether any of the programs will be banned from postseason play or television is not known.
"I have read this case backwards and forwards and nothing else looks like it," said Williams, who originally thought there might be some correlation to a loan scandal at Minnesota. "There's not much precedent to go on."