We’ve reported before about former UNC learning specialist Mary Willingham blowing the whistle on questionable academic practices at the institution.
In a recent interview, Willingham shared a paper written by a UNC athlete for an ¨independent studies¨ class that she says received an A-.
Former Tar Heel football player Duenta Williams, says while in school it was known that these classes were easy GPA boosters, but he now feels disappointed that the university could allow the practice to occur.
“That was an easy paper class, you know you could chill, get help writing it, you would get an easy B. I feel let down and disappointed that something like this could take place. I feel angry at myself for allowing it, for having these blinders on.”
This 148-word paper clearly isn’t college level work and in my opinion not even high school level work. Unfortunately the students are the ones who suffer the most from these fraudulent academic practices, because the vast majority who will not go on to play football beyond college will be ill-prepared for a professional career. Isn’t that supposed to be the purpose of school? I guess in this case, no. The purpose is to stay academically eligible by any means necessary in order to continue to generate revenue for the same institution that isn’t living up to its sole purpose. Oh, the irony.