Possible Expansion of Auburn's Problems

Professor Jim Gundlach, who was instrumental in bringing the initial story to light, says a second department is also being investigated due to recent academic fraud allegations.

Second department under investigation

Saturday, July 15, 2006

JON SOLOMON
News staff writer

At least one other department at Auburn University is being investigated for academic irregularities among athletes, said Jim Gundlach, the sociology professor who accuses a colleague of providing easy grades to football players, among others.

Gundlach said Friday the university committee that is investigating his accusations know about the other
department. Auburn spokesman David Granger said the committee is aware of additional questions that have been raised and declined further comment.

Gundlach would not name the department publicly. He said the number of questionable cases involved ranks "nowhere near" the total he outlined to The New York Times about former classes instructed by professor Thomas P. Petee, the department's interim chair.

"Since it's not my department, I don't see it's my place to name the other," Gundlach said in a telephone interview from his home. "That's something the university and university committee needs to address. They know the other area and how to look at it. When I talked to them, I showed how I went through the data."

Gundlach has alleged that 18 football players from Auburn's 2004 undefeated team combined for 97 hours of "fake" directed-reading courses in their careers from Petee.

Petee denied to The Times showing favoritism and has since not responded to interview requests.

Interim Auburn President Ed Richardson has vowed the university will conduct a thorough investigation handled "directly and openly."