National Collegiate Athletic Association officials and UW-Madison officials will resolve the Shoebox scandal in a teleconference Tuesday afternoon.
In the last phase of a scandal uncovered in July 2000, UW Chancellor John Wiley and other university officials will participate in the teleconference with Thomas Yeager, chair of the Division I Committee on Infractions, to learn the full extent of UW’s punishments.
A Wisconsin State Journal investigation originally found 157 athletes in 14 sports violating NCAA rules by purchasing shoes at a discount not available to other students at The Shoe Box in Black Earth.
Last August, Wiley appeared before the Committee on Infractions, asking the NCAA to leave the punishment of UW athletics up to his discretion.
This past summer, UW dished out a number of disciplinary actions in the form of penalties and restrictions.
“To the extent I have answers, you will find them reflected in our corrective actions and in my choices of personal and institutional penalties,” Wiley said in his opening statement. “We have moved aggressively to constitute a more vigilant compliance environment.”
With that, UW left any additional punishments, which could include more fines or the retraction of UW’s participation in the 2000 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, up to the NCAA.
UW officials are still uncertain as to what punishments the NCAA will hand down.
“[UW] took a pretty strong look at itself [in August],” said Amy Toburen of UW Communications. “So we’ve made a series of corrective steps and actions. Beyond that, we have to wait and see.”
UW officials would not comment on what outcome Wiley expects.
“The NCAA tends to keep these things pretty close to the vest until they’re announced,” said Kevin Boatright, president of UW Communications.
Toburen said whatever action the NCAA takes today will be the final act of a 15-month-long saga.
“It’s their final step,” Toburen said. “Since the August [meeting] they’ve had time to look, and reconsider, and see if they want to penalize [UW] in some way, and this is their final ruling.”
The NCAA/UW teleconference will take place Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the media room of the Kohl Center. The ruling will be posted on the UW website at www.wisc.edu.
