Statement from President Karen A. Holbrook and Athletics Director Andy Geiger of The Ohio State University Regarding allegations to be reported in Sunday’s New York Times

“We are shocked and dismayed by the allegations reported in the New York Times. Every single Ohio State player who participated in the Fiesta Bowl was eligible to do so, despite the story’s inferences to the contrary. Further, no one works harder than The Ohio State University to instill in our faculty, students, staff and alumni our core value of academic integrity. We have a rigorous system of checks and balances in place to prevent the kind of misconduct that is charged, and our policies encourage anyone to report suspicions of academic misconduct. These allegations will be investigated thoroughly, and we can assure you that, in the event anyone is found in violation of our policies, he or she will be dealt with appropriately.

“We have only recently learned of these alleged events, which are reported to have taken place more than seven months ago. We will continue our investigation to determine their validity. However, we already know that some of the allegations are false, while others are unsubstantiated. Further, the story’s characterization of the university’s climate with respect to athletics is one to which we take great exception.

“There is another aspect to this story that causes us great concern. We are extremely dismayed that university employees, who are duty-bound to protect the privacy of students, chose to discuss individual cases publicly – in the news media – rather than through well-established university procedures.”

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Note to reporters and editors: A news conference will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday (7/13) at the Younkin Success Center, 1640 Neil Ave., Second Floor Atrium, to answer questions regarding this story.