As you may know, the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I Committee on Infractions has issued its report regarding violations in the UB men's basketball program between 1995 and 1999. The NCAA found that the head men's basketball coach had violated bylaws governing preseason practice, tryouts, coaching-staff restrictions, impermissible scouting of opponents, extra benefits, unethical conduct and a lack of monitoring.

As a result, in addition to self-imposed corrective measures, UB has been placed on two years of NCAA probation, effective March 21, 2001, and will have limited official paid student-athlete visits annually in men's basketball through 2002-03.

In addition, the NCAA imposed a show-cause order on former head men's basketball coach Tim Cohane, requiring Cohane and any NCAA institution that seeks to employ him prior to December 2002 to appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions.

The NCAA's report is the outcome of a lengthy process that began in 1999 with a diligent inquiry by our Division of Athletics into allegations made by a student-athlete. UB then self-reported the allegations to the Mid-American Conference, which conducted a comprehensive investigation.

After campus review of the MAC findings, the university accepted the report and worked with the MAC to develop a series of corrective measures. In the aftermath of the investigation, the head men's basketball coach resigned.

In February 2000, the NCAA enforcement staff began its investigation, which led to a hearing by the NCAA Committee on Infractions on Feb. 9, 2001, and its subsequent report of March 21.

It is unacceptable that such a pattern of inappropriate behavior occurred in our men's basketball program and was not reported by program officials. As a result, we have instituted a number of measures to prevent such a situation from happening in the future.

First of all, as required by ourselves, the MAC and the NCAA, we are continuing to develop and implement a comprehensive educational program on NCAA legislation, including seminars and testing, to instruct coaches, all athletics department personnel, the faculty athletics representative and all UB staff members responsible for certification of student-athletes for admission, retention, financial aid or competition. Second, we have restructured the reporting relationship for athletics compliance, establishing direct access between the UB president and the associate director of athletics for compliance. Additionally, our Division of Athletics has stepped up its efforts to better educate enrolled student-athletes in understanding NCAA legislation. I have reinforced my earlier instructions to all involved in the UB athletics program to take every possible measure to increase awareness of the need for integrity in athletics to prevent future violations and to properly report any bylaw allegations or concerns.

In closing, I wish to thank Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs; SUNY Counsel Lewis Rosenthal; Distinguished Service Professor Dennis P. Malone, our faculty athletics representative, and our new athletics administration, especially Director of Athletics Bob Arkeilpane and Bill Maher, associate athletics director of compliance, for its exhaustive and diligent efforts during the investigation, as well as its commitment to the integrity of the UB athletics program.

A special thank-you is in order for our current head men's basketball coach, Reggie Witherspoon, for his outstanding work to rebuild our team and his genuine concern for the interests of our student-athletes. Our heartfelt thanks also go to the student-athletes who cooperated fully in the investigation, as well as their families.

I have great confidence that our new leadership in athletics will do its utmost to ensure UB's full compliance with NCAA rules and regulations as the university continues to move forward with its Division I athletics program.

William R. Greiner
President