NCAA penalizes USM in fraud case

PORTLAND – The NCAA said Thursday it has cited the University of Southern Maine for violations in a work-study fraud case involving 37 student-athletes in 15 sports during the 2003-2004 academic year.

The fraud resulted in a total of $10,599 in overpayments, ranging from $6.30 to $3,300 per athlete, for work the students did not perform.

The NCAA Division III Committee on Infractions placed USM on probation for two years and imposed other penalties. The case was resolved without a hearing after the university, the NCAA enforcement staff and involved parties agreed about the facts.

Two members of USM’s athletics staff during the period in question – an assistant work-study coordinator and an administrative assistant – were cited for unethical conduct. University spokesman Bob Caswell declined to identify the individuals, who were suspended without pay for one week and given oral warnings and written reprimands.

Reprimands were also issued to the men’s basketball coach, the wrestling coach, the ice arena manager, the crew leader in the ice arena, the athletics facilities supervisor and the coordinator of recreation and fitness.

Most of the violations occurred when the assistant work-study coordinator began offering double-time payments as incentives because of difficulty in properly staffing athletic events. He also offered work to more student-athletes than actually needed to ensure that an adequate number showed up, the NCAA said in a statement issued in Indianapolis.

The athletes took advantage by sometimes not showing up for work while they were clocked in and getting paid.

Other violations began when the administrative assistant allowed an athlete who depleted the funds she was eligible to earn through work-study to continue to earn money by working under the name of another student.

“The institution’s failure to implement systems that could have prevented or detected the student-athletes’ fraudulent activities during the 2003-2004 academic year demonstrated a lack of institutional control,” the NCAA panel concluded.

The athletics department must pay restitution for double-time payments and unauthorized work, according to the NCAA. The university said students were being assessed for the improper payments.

The two-year probation has no effect on USM’s eligibility for post-season play or other aspects of the athletic program, Caswell said.