In the fourth section of the NCAA’s report on Syracuse University, titled “Analysis,” the NCAA details the exact violations committed by the university.

The NCAA began by detailing how athletes received impermissible extra benefits, both academic and monetary. In addition, the NCAA wrote that the university failed to follow its self-written drug-testing policy, showed a lack of institutional control and that the men’s basketball head coach failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance in the program, among other violations.

These violations were not limited to one particular program in the athletics department, or limited to one particular university or non-university employee. Rather, these problems were widespread and occurred over a long period of time, according to the report.

The report classifies each violation as a Level I, II or III violation. The NCAA report defines the levels of violation this way:

Level I – Severe breaches of conduct that seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Model.

Level II – Significant breaches of conduct that may compromise the integrity of the Collegiate Model.

Level III – Less serious breaches of conduct that are isolated or limited and provide no more than minimal benefit or advantage.

Below is a breakdown of the exact infractions detailed in subheads E-H of the Analysis section (click here for sections A-D and click here for sections I-L), including the violated NCAA Bylaws, level of violation, whether the NCAA and Syracuse agreed on the infraction and abridged explanations.

E.  Impermissible complimentary admissions

Explanation: In this part of the report, the NCAA details how Syracuse provided “the representative” — identified by The Post-Standard as Jeff Cornish — with complimentary admissions that “exceeded the NCAA bylaw limitation.”

The report details that the representative was provided with complimentary tickets to Syracuse basketball games by members of the men’s basketball staff. The NCAA wrote that this happened on “numerous occasions,” including a Big East Conference tournament game. Providing the representative with tickets to more than two home contests was a violation of NCAA Bylaw 13, and providing tickets for a conference tournament game was a violation of Bylaw 13 in itself, according to the report.

The representative’s involvement with the YMCA and, at one time, an AAU basketball team, classified him as “an individual associated with a prospective student-athlete.” His involvement with these organizations resulted in an impermissible amount of complimentary admissions issued by Syracuse, according to the report.

Bylaws violated: Facets of NCAA Bylaw 13 as they were written at the time of the violations, which occurred between January 2003 and January 2007.

Level of violation: Level II

Consensus: According to the report, Syracuse and the NCAA enforcement staff “substantially agreed” on the facts and violations of NCAA Bylaws regarding impermissible complimentary admissions.

F. Failure to report outside income and supplemental pay

Explanation: Between July 2004 and the summer of 2006, the report says three members of the athletic department failed to report outside income and one staff member received supplemental pay from an outside source.

The report details how “the representative” — identified by The Post-Standard as Jeff Cornish — paid a former assistant athletic trainer and graduate assistant athletic trainer for working non-Syracuse basketball clinics. The representative, the NCAA writes in the report, also provided an assistant men’s basketball coach with a YMCA family membership in exchange for appearances at basketball clinics. Despite knowing the rule against receiving outside income and benefits, the former athletic trainer and assistant coach did not report the income or benefits, the NCAA writes. The representative also paid a month’s rent for a men’s basketball administrative assistant, according to the report.

Bylaws violated: NCAA Bylaw 11, which prohibits payment of salary through an outside source and requires the reporting of outside income.

Level of violation: Level II

Consensus: SU and the NCAA enforcement staff “substantially agreed” that violations of the bylaws occurred regarding the failure to report outside income and supplemental pay, according to the report.

G. Promotional activities

Explanation: Between the 2003-04 and 2006-07 academic years, student-athletes participated in approximately 12 promotional activities without completing or fully completing the promotional activity process. According to the report, the student-athletes violated NCAA bylaws when they participated in the events without written approval from the director of athletics, or without signing a release.

In addition, one student-athlete, working with the representative, raised funds for a charitable organization when the funds actually went to a commercial organization.

Bylaws violated: NCAA Bylaw 12, which limits the type of organization that can use student-athletes in promotional activities to member institutions and charitable, educational or nonprofit organizations.

Level of violation: Level II violations because there were several Level III violations concerning promotional activities.

Consensus: The university and the NCAA enforcement staff substantially agreed on the facts and that violations of NCAA bylaws occurred.

H. Outside basketball competition

Explanation: In 2005 an SU women’s basketball player played in an organized basketball competition outside of intercollegiate competition.

The women’s basketball player played in a YMCA charity basketball game impermissibly on March 26, 2005, according to the report. The YMCA publicized the game with predetermined rosters and charged admission to the game, according to the report.

Bylaws violated: NCAA Bylaw 14, which prohibits a student-athlete from playing in organized basketball competition outside of intercollegiate competition.

Level of violation: Level III

Consensus: SU and the NCAA enforcement staff “substantially agreed” that violations of the bylaws occurred in regards to a student-athlete playing in outside basketball competition, according to the report.

Published on March 9, 2015 at 1:55 am

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306