David Williamson: Moeser’s oversight costs UNC

Regarding the March 8 Point of View “On campus, a climate change”: Rather than regurgitating what others wrote far more eloquently about attacks on academic freedom at UNC, James Moeser should instead have addressed an entirely different but equally disturbing topic in his essay. That was the interminable athletic-academic dishonesty scandal that has bedeviled his successors as chancellor.

Why did Moeser, during his eight years at the helm, take no visible steps to correct the rampant, shameful disregard for educational integrity surrounding big-time athletics at Carolina? His lack of action has contributed to the university’s good name being besmirched far and wide. If he claims he knew nothing about official wrongdoing, how can one believe him?

Most on campus knew full well that athletes so poorly prepared for academic success, and with staggering demands on their time and energy each day, could remain eligible only through some form of hidden malfeasance.

Plus, Moeser had the benefit of hindsight. He arrived in Chapel Hill fresh from years as leader of the University of Nebraska, another institution with honesty “issues.”

This story was originally published March 21, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "David Williamson: Moeser’s oversight costs UNC."