ABSTRACT
The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill is one of the most storied and highly regarded postsecondary institutions in the United States. UNC has amassed for itself a reputation of being one of the most academically and athletically exceptional universities in the nation. UNC men's head basketball coach Roy Williams had 167 of his players enrolled in paper classes before their eventual discovery. Although many UNC employees have been fired or disciplined in connection with the scheme, there was much that university officials could have done to prevent such an occurrence. But unfortunately, an academic scandal involving a long-standing partnership between athletics and the Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies tarnished UNC's sterling image. Certain disciplines and academic programs – namely science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) – tend to be viewed as more prestigious than majors like sociology, education, and ethnic studies. Shifts in faculty composition increase institutional susceptibility for academic misconduct.
