Unlock document.
This document is partially blurred.
Unlock all pages and 1 million more documents.
Get Access
CASE 96
National Collegiate Athletic Association Ethics
and Compliance ProgramThe NCAA Has Many
Balls in the Air
CASE NOTE FOR INSTRUCTORS
This case examines the role of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as the ethical
conscience of college football. Students will see how vital this oversight is in college football culture as
football contributes significantly to the influx of revenue to its universities and colleges. As is most often
the case, when a sole emphasis is placed on profits, ethical conduct can be lacking. In some instances, this
focus on revenue has changed the role of coaches from mentors to promoters, and the role of university
administrators from overarching authorities to caterers to the football program.
The NCAA was formed under the premise of protecting student athletes from being exploited or
endangered. There are three divisions under the NCAA’s authority, and universities can choose which
division they wish to be a member of depending on the level of competitiveness they desire. Universities
are given the freedom to enact their own rules and policies that are based on the principles set forth by the
constitution of the NCAA. This gives universities a level of responsibility and accountability. The bylaws
of the constitution explain the expectations of ethical conduct and the disciplinary actions that will take
place for violations. The NCAA takes the enforcement of rules seriously and tries to ensure the penalties
fit the violation if misconduct does occur. The organization also makes sure the penalties are handed
down in a timely manner, not only to indicate the seriousness of the infraction but also to maintain a
credible and effective enforcement program.
In some cases, traditional football culture has become toxic and affects not only coaches, players, and the
administration, but also their surrounding communities. This is evidenced in the examples of the Penn
State and Ohio State scandals discussed in more detail in the case.
Universities that have a stronger ethical culture engage in self-reporting violations to the NCAA and are
less likely to find themselves in the midst of a major scandal. Because of the strict policies of the NCAA
and its mission to protect students, even those who self-report will find themselves subject to penalties of
misconduct, but the effects are not as profound as they would be if they were involved in a cover-up. The
University of Alaska Fairbanks is used as an example.The University of Mississippi’s football team, the
Ole Miss Rebels, was charged with 21 college football violations. Academic misconduct among players is
also becoming a significant issue. Ole Miss admitted it had engaged in misconduct, fired coaches
involved in the misconduct, and instituted a self-imposed one-year bowl ban. Academic misconduct
among players is also becoming a significant issue At the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, it was
discovered that 3,000 students—many of them athletes—got credit for classes they did not attend, did not
do significant work, and/or were not supervised by a professor. This seems to indicate a lack of
institutional control.
In the past few years, compensation for college players has taken on legal proportions. In a 2014 antitrust
lawsuit, a federal judge ruled that the NCAA could not prevent players from selling the rights to their
likeness and names, although it could limit the amount of compensation players received if it amounted to
more than $5,000 annually. The money would be placed in a trust and made available to athletes after
graduation. However, an appeals court later rejected this ruling. Paying student-athletes is a controversial
issue. On the one hand, some believe it is unfair that schools can make so much money of the talent of
athletes without compensating them. On the other hand, there is a great concern that compensation could
compromise the athletes’ integrity and distract them from their academic careers.
This case should demonstrate that corporate culture and business ethics is not limited to businesses, but
also applies to schools, nonprofit organizations, government institutions, and so on. As a result, it is
crucial that these organizations take the same precautions against misconduct as for-profit businesses.
This case should also help students gain a better idea of the NCAA and its role in regulating college
sports. Finally, it is helpful to demonstrate how some schools exert ethical leadership by reporting
violations to the NCAA—despite the possibility of penalties—and disciplining those found to be
violation.
QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
1. How does the NCAA encourage collegiate football programs to develop a culture of ethics and
compliance?
The NCAA strives to objectively set forth and enforce standards of conduct. It also encourages and
helps universities establish their own systems of compliance and control, since the ultimate
responsibility lies with the universities and the cultures they create. Even when colleges impose
2. Is it a valid criticism that the NCAA is based more on compliance than ethical values?
Students’ answers may vary and all responses should be supported by reasoning. Criticisms of the
compliance approach may include that because it is based entirely on a punishment and reward
system, it may not encourage universities to go beyond the minimum requirements of compliance. On
the other hand, a values-based approach tends to set forth ethical standards that organizations can
3. How can student-athletes, coaches, and university administrators demonstrate a proactive response to
ethics and compliance?
Students’ answers will vary. Some answers may include having less of a focus on revenue generation
and more of a focus on the development of athletes as educated and ethical citizens. Instituting an
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Penn State’s failure in ethics:
http://business-ethics.com/2012/07/12/9945-penn-state-scandal-highlights-failures-in-leadership-
and-culture/
NCAA punishment of Penn State:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/story/2012-07-23/ncaa-penn-state-p
unishment-sanctions/56427630/1
Ohio State sanctions:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/post/report-ohio-states-ncaa-sanctions-include-
2012-postseason-ban-announcement-coming-at-3-pm-est/2011/12/20/gIQAugnR7O_blog.html
Videogame lawsuit against NCAA:
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/former-ncaa-athletes-win-video-game-lawsuit-against-ea-6C1
0809666
Wins from Joe Paterno period restored:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12179571/joe-paterno-111-wins-were-vacated-resto
red
Cheating scandal at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-north-carolina-sports-scandal-edit-110
8-20141107-story.html
Sanctions on Ole Miss:
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/6/6/15742134/ole-miss-ncaa-allegations-hugh-fr
eeze
