Minor sanctions for Baylor

For Baylor University, the decision helps end one of the most painful chapters in its history.
A lengthy investigation by college athletics’ governing body into the sexual assault scandal at Baylor University resulted in only minor sanctions.

The NCAA said Wednesday that Baylor’s soccer team will operate on a conditional basis and will be subject to other penalties, finding that the serious and “unacceptable” conduct in the case did not constitute a violation of NCAA rules.

The NCAA’s ruling comes five years after the scandal rocked the university, leading to the firing of successful soccer coach Art Biles and the departure of athletic director Ian McCaw, as well as Provost Ken Starr.

The NCAA said the allegations centered on conduct never before reported to the Committee on Infractions (COI), which has been in existence since 1951. The allegations pointed to Baylor’s “shielding of its soccer student-athletes from the institution’s disciplinary process and failure to report allegations of abhorrent player conduct, including instances of sexual and interpersonal violence.”

The panel noted that Baylor admitted ethical and moral failures in the way it addressed the violence situation on the Waco campus, but argued “that those failures, while egregious, do not violate NCAA rules.”

The infraction committee indicated that the question was whether Baylor athletes accused of sexual assault and other violence had “an extra benefit” in terms of more lenient treatment than other students; and the answer was no, given the atmosphere on campus at the time.

“To be clear, we are not getting rid of this,” the NCAA report states. “The members of this panel understand that our volunteer service on the COI requires making difficult decisions, and we do not shirk that responsibility. But an issue of this magnitude, in an area where the membership has not set express rules, requires consideration by all of its members.”

Former Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi, the hearing officer and an eight-year member of the committee, said the case is troubling. While it did not violate NCAA rules, there are alleged offenses being addressed by legal and others.

“We all agreed that the conduct was egregious. In some ways, we had discussions about not penalizing the institution. We have always started the hearings trying to seek the truth and come to a just conclusion,” Maturi said.

For Baylor, this decision helps end one of the most painful chapters in its history. The scandal has persisted for nearly a decade, and Baylor remains embroiled in several lawsuits over the mishandling of abuse cases on its campus.

Baylor Provost Linda Livingstone and Athletic Director Mack Rhoades, who were hired in the wake of the scandal, acknowledged wrongdoing and accept responsibility. They indicated that the school’s legal team will review the full report.