Written by Jane F. Gilgun   

When a Princeton University alumnus who was also a tennis team booster realized he had broken NCAA rules, he immediately contacted Princeton officials and told them what he had done. The officials reported the incident to the NCAA right away. This was in September 2008.

What the alumnus had done was pay three semesters of expenses at Princeton for a student tennis player. A former member of the Princeton tennis team, the alumnus had met the student several years earlier at a local tennis club and became impressed with her skills at tennis.

The alumnus was, in NCAA terms, “a representative of the institution's athletics interest.” He had provided financial support to the tennis team and the booster organization since 1983. This support rendered him ineligible to contribute to a student athlete’s education.

The NCAA Report

Two years later, the NCAA publicly reprimanded Princeton. Their report said that Princeton had committed a major rule violation and vacated the record of the students’ games during the time the alumnus paid her expenses. The NCAA report did not name the student or the alumnus. This ruling is the first infraction that the NCAA attributed to Princeton and the first infraction at an Ivy League school since 1974, a remarkable record.

Doing the Right Thing

Both the alumnus and Princeton officials did the right thing. They took responsibility for the rule violations and reported the violations to appropriate officials. The student’s parents set up a repayment schedule and she continues to play on the team. There was no apparent fuss. They made a mistake, without realizing it, and they did what they had to do to make things right.

Reservations About the Ruling

Princeton’s president, Shirley M. Tilghman, said in a statement, that she has “mixed reactions” to the penalties. She said that while the penalties were minimal, she did not think the violation should have been classified as major.

The NCAA ruled the violation major because of the amount of money the alumnus had provided, which was $33,000. Had the amount been much smaller, perhaps the violation would have been minor.

Commentary: The Rewards of Doing the Right Thing

The penalty was minimal, according to the NCAA report, because of the swiftness with which the alumnus and Princeton officials acted. They did not hesitate to report the violation immediately.

The student undoubtedly suffered a great deal of shame and embarrassment as did her parents. She is still a student at Princeton, and she is still on the tennis team. She now is creating a new record of her wins and losses as a tennis player.

Accountability is key to making up for wrong-doing. People take responsibility for their actions because it is the right thing to do. They do not cover up through excuses, anger, defensiveness, humor, and proclamations of innocence. They simply state they made a mistake and take their lumps. When they do this, they have a clear conscience. Often, others forgive them. They also get the respect of others for owning up to what they did.

The bonus for the wrong-doers in the Princeton case was the minimal penalty for the major infractions.

References

NCAA (2010). Princeton University Infractions report, September 8. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/b0ef600043e1cbf39f5b9f6bcdc87ae7/20100908+Princeton+Public+Rpt.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=b0ef600043e1cbf39f5b9f6bcdc87ae7
Thomas, Katie (2010). NCAA penalizes Princeton for a major rule violation. New York Times, September 9, p. B18.

About the Author

Jane Gilgun, Ph.D., LICSW, is a professor, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. See Professor Gilgun’s book, Shame, Blame, & Child Sexual Abuse: From Harsh Realities to Hope, which is available at on-line booksellers. Based on interviews with perpetrators and survivors of child sexual abuse, the book shows what child sexual abuse MEANS. What child sexual abuse means to survivors and perpetrators is largely absent from today’s discussions.