CSC reports possible financial violations to NCAA

Last updated at 2:15 p.m.

LINCOLN — Chadron State College officials stated Thursday that they have reported possible football fundraising violations and other “various financial transactions not part of the college foundation” to the NCAA.

The news came in a press release issued by the Nebraska State College System that was emailed from the president’s office shortly after 11 a.m.

The release also stated that NSCS Chancellor Stan Carpenter, CSC President Janie Park, and her administration would fully cooperate with the NCAA in a joint investigation. The release also states that Park notified Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Commissioner Joel Smith.

RMAC Commissioner Smith said in a telephone interview Friday morning that he was told about the possible violations the same day that the press release was published [Thursday, Oct. 13].

“I don’t know any of the details,” Smith said.

There is no time limit to report possible violations to the NCAA, Smith said. “It’s just a matter of telling us when you find out.”

RMAC sanctions against CSC would depend on the level of violation, Smith said. Since he did not know any details about the violations, he could not say what those sanctions, if any, might be.

“The NCAA will have to look at it and adjudicate based on the level of violation, if there was one,” Smith said.

“I am confident that Chadron State will cooperate with the NCAA to identify violations that may have occurred, and that the athletic programs will be able to move forward in a positive manner,” Carpenter said.

In their release, system office and college officials did not state when they notified the NCAA; the amount of money in question; nor when they learned about the possible violations. However, CSC has hired Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP law firm to represent the college during the NCAA investigation. Stinson Morrison Hecker will work with external auditing company, BKD, which is reviewing the financial transactions in question, the release states.

Stinson Morrison Hecker has eight offices in four states and Washington, D.C.

BKD has 30 offices in 12 states. CPA Amy Schreck of the firm’s Lincoln office is handling this case, said a BKD employee who answered the phone Thursday afternoon.

Brad Smith, director of athletics, declined to comment on the issue Friday afternoon, saying “We’ve been instructed that all inquiries have to go through Dr. Park’s office.”

“Chadron’s athletic programs are important to our community and our students. As we move ahead, we remain committed to offering programs that produce strong scholar athletes,” Park stated in a release.

In their release, officials from the college and the NSCS stated they would offer no further comment because of the “sensitivity of this matter.”