NCAA Rules Enforcement: Missouri, Alternative Resolution, and Imposing Penalties in an Age of “Reform"

NCAA infractions committees recently decided a case involving academic misconduct at the University of Missouri. Critics have contended that penalties imposed on the university in that case were harsh, unfair, and inconsistent with penalties imposed in other infractions cases. The author examines the decisions in the Missouri case and compares those decisions to other recent cases involving academic misconduct. He concludes that the penalties imposed on Missouri are easily defensible under current NCAA bylaws, but also contends that the NCAA’s use of alternative methods of resolving major infractions cases opens the door to potential penalty inconsistency.