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NCAA: North Carolina didn't break rules

The University of North Carolina was informed by the NCAA that no rules were broken after reviewing documents collected from the school's African and Afro-American Studies Department.

The NCAA investigated whether the courses, filled almost entirely by current or former football players, should have counted for full credit. North Carolina officials turned over documents that showed 54 classes from 2007 to 2011 brought questions about the legitimacy of the major.

The Raleigh News and Observer reported several unauthorized grade changes, irregular attendance, abnormal grade books and courses that didn't require classroom time were part of the evidence given to the NCAA enforcement staff.

"With the NCAA enforcement staff, our internal working group of University Counsel Leslie Strohm, Senior Associate Dean Jonathan Hartlyn, and former faculty athletics representative Jack Evans interviewed faculty and staff in the Department of African and Afro-American Studies, academic support counselors, and student-athletes who had taken multiple courses in the department," the school said in a news release. "Based on the joint review, UNC and the NCAA staff concluded there were no violations of current NCAA rules or student-athlete eligibility issues related to courses in African and Afro-American Studies. As a result, the NCAA did not add any allegations or include this issue during the University's appearance in October 2011 before the Committee on Infractions.

"College of Arts and Sciences Dean Karen Gil subsequently commissioned a review of courses in African and Afro-American Studies. In May, the University publicly issued that report and provided it to the NCAA.

"On Aug. 23, 2012, University Counsel Leslie Strohm and Senior Associate Dean Jonathan Hartlyn provided an update to the enforcement staff. The NCAA staff reaffirmed to University officials that no NCAA rules appeared to have been broken.

"University officials will continue to keep the NCAA informed as developments warrant."

The North Carolina football program was sanctioned in March by the NCAA. Thirteen football players were suspended -- including current NFL players Robert Quinn, Marvin Austin and Greg Little -- for receiving improper benefits in a scandal that led to the firing of coach Butch Davis.