Texas A&M's athletics program today was placed on a five-year probation by the NCAA and its football team was barred from television and bowl appearances for one year.
The NCAA found that players were paid for work that was not actually performed, that prospective student-athletes improperly were given financial aid, that athletes received improper extra benefits and that school showed a "lack of institutional control" in its athletics program which had been involved in an infractions case in 1988."While the university administration is committed to compliance, it is apparent that some alumni and student-athletes still believe they can violate NCAA rules with impunity," the NCAA Committee on Infractions said.
"What is even more unfortunate is that the alumnus who was involved in these violations was a prominent member of the university's athletics support group. What is particularly troubling is that his actions led student-athletes to violate NCAA rules and the Texas A&M `Code of Honor."
A&M officials met with the NCAA for 41/2 hours on Nov. 14 and proclaimed the school's innocence to wrongdoing in allegations that involved nine players, including star running back Greg Hill.
The Aggies said in a 1,227-page response it should not be held accountable for the actions of the players during their summer jobs.
An investigation revealed that the nine players received payment from an A&M booster for work they did not perform.
Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum dismissed two of the players accused in the case - wide receiver Percy Singleton and lineman Darius Smith.
The other players were declared ineligible for portions of last season for accepting payment from Dallas businessman Warren Gilbert. Singleton later said he also received rent money from Gilbert.
Texas A&M's report said the players received a total of $27,800. Of that, $17,855 was unearned, the report said.
Besides the probation and ban on bowl and television, the NCAA today also ordered A&M to disassociate itself from Gilbert for at least five years and improve the educational program for alumni who represent the school's athletic interests.
"I think there's a clear message here that one alum and particularly one prominent alum involved in a university support program can create grave problems for a university in terms of reputation, prestige and money," said David Swank, a law professor at the University of Oklahoma and chairman of the infractions committee.
"This is a very significant financial penalty for Texas A&M and the Southwest Conference."
Although the penalties did not include reductions in scholarships, Swank said the sanctions should not be considered light.
"It is not a slap on the wrist in any way," he said.
Swank said the committee considered the so-called "death penalty" in the case - eliminating football because of Texas A&M's previous rules violations - but said that harsh step was dismissed because of the controls over the athletic department imposed by former A&M President William Mobley and now interim president Dean Gage.
"I should emphasize that but for the strong actions taken by the presidents of Texas A&M University, . . . the penalties imposed in this case would have been much more severe," Swank added. "One can only hope the alumni of Texas A&M will follow their examples."
Still, the five-year probation marks only the third time the NCAA has put a school on probation for that length of time.
Southeast Louisiana in 1989 and Upsala College in New Jersey in 1990 received five-year sanctions.
"The university and its supporters must recognize that any additional violations within the period of probation could result in even more significant penalties," the NCAA committee said.
The school promised a statement later in the day.