East Tennessee State Gets Year’s Probation

East Tennessee State University has been placed on probation for one year because of violations in the conduct of its men’s basketball program, the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. said Wednesday.

The violations occurred in 1983 and 1984 and included the provision of cash to several prospective and enrolled student-athletes for various purposes, by or through former members of the basketball coaching staff.

Other violations concern ethical conduct, improper benefits to enrolled student-athletes and improper recruiting inducements to prospective student-athletes.

The team will be prohibited from participating in the 1987 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament or in any other postseason competition during the 1986-87 academic year, the association said.

The school also is limited to a total of 13 basketball grants-in-aid during the year, instead of the usual 15. Only three new recruits in the sport will be permitted to receive initial, athletically related financial aid for the academic year, the NCAA said.

“The committee initially voted to impose a two-year probationary period in this case,” said Frank J. Remington, chairman of the NCAA Committee on Infractions, “but reduced the penalty in part because the university self-disclosed three of the serious violations that were found.”

Remington said the committee noted that East Tennessee State declared certain members of the team ineligible during the course of the investigation when it was confident violations had occurred.

“The university also has assured the committee that additional controls also will be achieved in its basketball camp funds and monitoring of payments for student-athletes to complete academic work at other institutions,” he said.

The NCAA said that in May 1983, the former head coach and a former assistant arranged for a prospect to receive between $200 and $500 to pay his summer school expenses at another institution before establishing eligibility at the university.

In June 1984, the former head coach and a former assistant arranged for a prospect to receive between $200 and $360 from a summer basketball camp fund in order to pay summer school expenses at another institution, the NCAA said.

Other violations by former staff members included arranging for a student-athlete to receive at least $250 from a summer basketball camp fund for a down payment on a car; providing $10 to $20 in cash to a student-athlete, and providing clothing to prospects at no cost.