Here is UGA's take on it:
Honor Code violation behind recruit's denial
Football
By Marc Weiszer
marc.weiszer@onlineathens.com
Georgia football recruit Jamar Chaney was denied admission to the university by a faculty conduct committee for a failure "to abide by the Honor Code provision in the application process," and the university will not "consider future applications for admission," according to a June 6 letter written to him by the school's admissions director.
The letter is among documents received from the university regarding Chaney by the Athens Banner-Herald under Georgia Open Records laws.
Chaney's SAT score was cancelled by the Educational Testing Service after "their investigation of cheating by the student" on a December test, according to information in an e-mail from admissions director Nancy McDuff intended for members of Georgia's Admissions Conduct Committee.
That investigation was set in motion after Georgia assistant athletic director for academics/integrity Glada Horvat contacted associate director of admissions Bob Spatig, who asked the ETS on Feb. 22 to validate the score. Spating wrote Georgia wanted the score validated in "accordance with our standard policy concerning unusual test score histories."
Chaney's December score was in the mid-80th percentile nationally but previous ACT and PSAT scores were in the 20th percentile, according to McDuff's e-mail.
Regarding the December testing, ETS test security specialist Nancy A. Wszolek wrote to Chaney on March 4 that there was "substantial agreement between your answers on one or more scored sections of the test and those of another test taker who appears to have been seated near you."
Chaney - a linebacker who lives in Fort Pierce, Fla., and played for West Centennial High School - signed his application for admission underneath Georgia's honor code, which states "to the best of my knowledge all of the information I have supplied in this application is complete and accurate and that any omission or misrepresentation will invalidate any further consideration or subsequent admission."
Chaney and a person identified as "Test taker B," each had 630 on the math portion of the SAT, according to a score review summary. Chaney had a 630 on the verbal and "Test taker B," had a 660. Of 138 questions in the two sections, Chaney and "Test taker B" each had 19 incorrect answers - including 17 of which matched - according to an ETS response analysis.
After the investigation, Chaney was offered four options by the ETS - a free retest to confirm his scores; cancel the scores; let the school decide whether to use the scores after ETS cancels them; or ask an arbitrator to review the case.
The ETS's Board of Review, a three-member panel, found "substantial evidence," that scores on the SAT are invalid, according to a letter sent to Chaney on April 6. The board was provided information that included a letter from Chaney and logs of times spent for prepatory studies.
Chaney then opted to go to arbitration, according to a memo, and admissions was notified by ETS on May 6 that the scores were cancelled.
The memo said that Faculty Athletic Representative Jere Morehead asked admissions to hold action until athletics decided to appeal.
Football coach Mark Richt asked McDuff on June 3 if Chaney could validate the scores by testing on June 4 but was told that was not an option because if the scores were cancelled due to cheating, his application file was no longer valid, according to documentation. Georgia President Michael Adams, however, can override a faculty admissions committee's decision, according to the university Web site.
Richt declined through a spokesman to comment on Friday.
In December, the faculty athletic review committee met with Richt and recruiting coordinator Rodney Garner to discuss the recruitment of 23 athletes. At the meeting, faculty athletic review committee members voiced a concern about "very low ACT scores and lack of senior year grades," according to files about Chaney.
Notes from the meeting, in which recruits names were redacted, reported there was "general frustration that the comments from the coaches indicated that they were planning to recruit prospects regardless of the recommendation of the committee."
This is the second year in a row that the conduct committee has denied admission to a football signee. Cornerback Michael Grant was turned away after an examination of his background, which included an expulsion from South Gwinnett High School while in 10th grade. He played last season for Arkansas.
Chaney visited the University of Florida after learning of Georgia's decision and hoped to gain admission at the school, his mother said earlier this month. A Florida admissions counselor phoned Georgia because the school is talking with Chaney, a memo said, "but they feel that their policy is much like ours on the testing. They understand there is a challenge on the test score and wanted some more insight."