CHAPEL HILL – A week after UNC’s student-athlete literacy was called into question, Chancellor Carol Folt responded saying the allegations are being reviewed and that the claims don’t add up so far to the preliminary figures in UNC’s records.

Chancellor Folt wrote to the campus community Thursday saying that “Carolina’s recent academic and athletic improprieties shook our University to its core.” But the woes continue.

On January 8, UNC reading specialist Mary Willingham was featured in a CNN article saying she was concerned about the number of student-athletes that were unable to read at a college level. According to Willingham, a basketball player came to her office looking for help and was (quoting from the article) “unable to read or write.” Willingham was hired to help athletes who weren’t able to perform at the level of students normally admitted to UNC, one of the nation’s top public universities.

Chancellor Folt cited that in 2012 and 2013, of the 321 student-athletes admitted and referenced in the CNN article only two had SAT and ACT scores lower than the first-year standards. She said those two students are currently in good academic standing.

She said the investigation into the literacy of these students is a lengthy process, but that it is ongoing. She asked the community for patience and understanding during the process and assured everyone that the truth will be explained.

To read the letter from Chancellor Folt, click here.

Related Stories
‹
Former UNC Dean: Academic Issue Reaches Further Than Revenue Sports
Levine says. “You contacted a faculty member, and you tried to get accommodations for students."
Willingham Blasts NCAA For Academic Improprieties
Willingham says. "We could recruit whoever we wanted, and we could provide a real education.”
Former UNC, College Athletes Mock Viral NCAA Video
A video published by the NCAA is going viral on social media this week for all the wrong reasons. https://twitter.com/NCAA/status/1107386124081811457?s=20 At first glance, this student-athlete (we don’t get a view of the university name, the basketball jersey simply says “State” in the camera shot) seems to be able to fit a lot into the day. […]
UNC Student-Athletes, Former Men's Basketball Players Sign on to Letter Opposing Silent Sam
More than 200 current and former UNC student-athletes have signed on to an open letter urging the university to remove Silent Sam from campus forever.
Commission Holds 1st Meeting to Advocate for NC Athletes
A North Carolina legislative committee that advocates for college athletes has met for the first time. The Legislative Commission on the Fair Treatment of College Student-Athletes met Wednesday at the General Assembly. Committee members were hearing from officials from the NCAA, the National College Players Association and former college athletes, and discussing athlete welfare, insurance […]
Temporary Process To Report Suspicious Academic Activities Unveiled
Plates were full for administrators, faculty, and students at UNC this holiday season, with commencement, final exams, and reviews from the UNC System Board of Governors. There was certainly a lot to cover on Friday, and Chancellor Folt made an effort to touch on everything in front of the Faculty Council. She encouraged as many […]
Bill Belichick Remains 'Focused' on Next Game Amid UNC Football Investigation
Prior to UNC head coach Bill Belichick’s press conference at the Kenan Football Center Monday, associate athletic director for football communications Brandon Faber stepped to the podium and said that due to the ongoing investigation of the program, Belichick would not be able to answer any questions on that topic. Once Belichick took the podium, […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 7-13, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. After two weeks which saw Tar Heel teams playing as far east as […]
UNC Soccer: Women Win at Arizona State, Men Draw at Cal
Both the UNC men’s and women’s soccer teams were playing out west Sunday. The women used a penalty kick goal to beat Arizona State 1-0 in Tempe, while the men battled to a 2-2 draw against Cal in Berkeley. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels and Sun Devils combined for just seven total shots […]
UNC Field Hockey Beats No. 2 Princeton After Penalty Shootout
Freshman Sofia Ferri scored in the fifth and final round of a penalty shootout to help UNC beat No. 2 Princeton 1-0 at Karen Shelton Stadium Sunday afternoon. SHOOTOUT DUB ✅ HOUSE PROTECTED ✅#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/3pwTU3NUba — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 6, 2026 The two teams had played to a scoreless draw after […]
›