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FSU's Penalty: Reduced Scholarships, Probation

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By SCOTT CARTER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2008

TALLAHASSEE – Florida State will reduce scholarships in several sports and has placed its athletic program on two-year probation in the wake of an academic cheating scandal involving more than 50 athletes.

The actions were outlined in a report the school submitted today to the NCAA after an 11-month internal investigation.

The NCAA will review the report and decide if further investigation is necessary.

''We believe that our investigation has been thorough and exhaustive,'' FSU provost and investigation chair Larry Abele wrote in the self-report. ''This university and its athletics department have accepted responsibility, made changes in the processes and systems, and imposed penalties as warranted.''

The school already has made several staff changes and suspended athletes in several sports for their involvement in the academic fraud case that made national headlines and depleted Coach Bobby Bowden's roster for the Music City Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Finalizing FSU's sanctions as it deals with the NCAA will be an early focus of newly hired athletic director Randy Spetman, whose first day of work was today.

The violations occurred mostly during online testing for a music history course in the fall semester of 2006 and spring and summer semesters of 2007.

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