| | Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A University of Tennessee professor who alleged academic fraud in the school's athletic department says her office has been broken into, her phone bugged and she has received threatening mail.
Linda Bensel-Meyers, the English Department's director of
composition, said she reported the matter Friday to the FBI in
Knoxville.
Her accusations against the athletic department date back to
1995. A school investigation last year cleared the athletic
department of plagiarism allegations. The NCAA reviewed the
university's investigation and in March declined to look further
into the case. But an NCAA investigator is returning to campus May
23.
Three weeks ago, Bensel-Meyers released records that she said
shows athletes were steered toward easy majors and given grade
changes to remain eligible to play.
In a report on 39 student athletes, she also said some players
failed to declare an academic major to retain their athletic
eligibility.
Bensel-Meyers oversees English tutors working with freshmen
athletes.
In an e-mail Friday to the FBI, Bensel-Meyers said she believes
her office was broken into four times. Items were moved, her
computer was tampered with and printed e-mails were taken, she
said.
Additionally, she said an alumnus told her her office was bugged
because he once called her and then was contacted by someone else,
less than a minute after the first call, with information about the
conversation. The parties were not identified.
Bensel-Meyers said she suspects the alleged bugging and
break-ins were done by "someone internal to the university."
Scott Nowinski, an FBI spokesman in Knoxville, said the
allegations are being evaluated.
University spokesman John Clark said Bensel-Meyers never made a
complaint to school police about her allegations.
The university's Faculty Senate also is rereviewing
Bensel-Meyers' accusations about academic fraud.
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