The National Collegiate Athletic Association is investigating Lyndon State College. Officials acknowledge the school broke an NCAA rule against Division III schools giving sports scholarships.
The one-time scholarships of $1,000 to $2,000 were given to students who distinguished themselves as leaders. Eleven of the scholarships were awarded for leadership in sports. They will have to donate the money to charity or commit to 50 hours of community service.
Meanwhile, the college is making changes, according to Lyndon State College President Elaine Collins.
“Lyndon is deeply troubled that our students were affected by the mistakes we made, and we are doing everything we can to change our policies to ensure these kinds of errors do not happen again,” Collins said.
The NCAA began investigating Lyndon State last October after a routine annual report revealed some scholarships being awarded from 2012 until the spring of 2017 that ran afoul of NCAA requirements, according to Collins.
The college has been working with the NCAA throughout the entire investigation. “The NCAA and college will work together until both parties are satisfied with the final report,” Collins said.
The NCAA will not comment on current, pending or potential investigations, according to Emily James, a public relations officer.
The investigation found that Lyndon violated NCAA rules when it awarded scholarships based on sports leadership. Admissions staff, who also work in the athletics department, were involved in choosing recipients, according to a letter Collins sent to staff, faculty and students of Lyndon and Johnson state colleges.
The letter underscores the student athletes’ innocence and it puts full responsibility for the mistakes on the college. The school has ended the scholarship program, removed admissions counselors from the scholarship and financial aid process, and provided more training to staff. The school is conducting its own investigation.
To help the students, the athletics department has identified community service options.
The final report will be released Jan. 1 and that is when the school will be officially sanctioned.
Lyndon is a Division III NCAA school and a member of the North Atlantic Conference. The school has varsity sports in baseball, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and volleyball.
Lyndon and Johnson are merging to become Northern Vermont University but each school is keeping its own sports teams and mascots.
Vermont State College Chancellor Jeb Spaulding said he feels the college is taking the right steps. “I am confident that President Collins and the Lyndon team have been proactive in correcting past practices, ensuring compliance with the NCAA and, most importantly, supporting the student athletes.”
