Usc Reopens Academic Fraud Investigation University Takes Second Look At Course After Two Confessions

The University of Southern California has reopened an investigation of a two-unit class in which two student-athletes claimed to receive A’s without completing required work.

In a Thursday report by the Los Angeles Times, records revealed 30 of the 40 students enrolled in the class were athletes, including 14 members of the 1996 Rose Bowl-winning football team.

Eight were members of the USC baseball team that finished second in the College World Series last year.

A random check of 25 students by the Times showed that 24 received an A and one a B-minus.

The Times quoted two students - former USC baseball player Derek Baker, and another who was identified only as an athlete and asked to remain unidentified.

Baker started 40 games at third base for the Trojans last season, but was declared academically ineligible last summer, the Times said.

Baker said he was told by academic advisor Janice Henry to take the course because of his poor academic performance the semester before.

“She told me I didn’t need to show up, so I didn’t show up,” Baker said of Henry. “She said all I needed to do was go on a field trip… . write a paper about it. I went, but I never turned in the paper.”

The other student, who also received an A, never attended the class, but was told by Henry to attend the final exam. “I went to the class and it was full of athletes,” the student said. ” … I was handed a paper that was already completed, then told to hand it back in. The paper had my name typed on it and it was some sort of essay question.”

USC spokesman Eric Mankin said the school had a committee investigate the course last summer.

Mankin said there was no indication of special treatment for athletes.