"Paper classes" in the African and African American (AFAM) Studies Department at UNC-Chapel have been the center point of the academic scandal at UNC. On the periphery of the scandal have been other examples that a "system" was in place that prioritized eligibility above education, including excessive access to "easy classes" and exploitation of "independent study" or so-called "paper classes" and bifurcation of lecture classes.
A few years ago, the N&O reported on one such non-AFAM suspect class taught within the NROTC department. The 2007 Naval Science class was NAV 302, and the junior officer instructor was LT Brian Lubitz.
Two years later, that class resurfaces again in public documents released by UNC. Here is a 2009 email from Amy Kleissler to Beth Bridger and Jaimie Lee about that same course, now taught by LT Darryl Meeks. Amy is reporting that a couple of the athletes (football players) were concerned that they felt like "idiots in the class". She relates how Meeks reassured them they'd be fine, and also how Meeks came to practices and mock scrimmages.
So what? Maybe this really is more in the "everybody does it" category, but...
I think this is yet another example of two things that were instrumental to the "system" of eligibility:
1. ASPSA counselors "steering" players into classes that served no other purpose other than to build credits toward graduation and boost GPAs. Certainly doesn't look like the two guys who spoke up had chosen this class because they were interested in the subject matter or thought it would be educational.
2. This coziness between counselors and instructors who were also fans wanting to "help" out the athletes is exhibited yet again, this time by this NROTC instructor's cavalier attitude about the grading in his class and his "back stage pass" to the athletes. LT Meeks' predecessor, LT Lubitz, supposedly enjoyed the same "bennies;" enticements handed out by athletics staff to help grease the skids for ASPSA.
