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DA drops charges for ex-UNC tutor in agents case

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A prosecutor has dropped charges against a former UNC tutor who worked with Tar Heels football players for violating the state’s sports agent laws.

Orange County district attorney Jim Woodall said Thursday he dropped the four counts against Jennifer Thompson because she is cooperating with the investigation. A grand jury indicted her a year ago for providing benefits to former UNC football player Greg Little in 2010 to help Georgia-based agent Terry Watson sign Little.

Woodall said Thompson, formerly Jennifer Wiley, began talking with investigators from the Secretary of State’s office this summer and met with him in August.

“Based on all that, I feel like she is being very truthful and that she is more important to us as a potential witness than as a defendant,” Woodall said.

In a statement, Thompson’s attorney Joseph B. Cheshire V said his client committed no crime and that Woodall was “doing the right thing” by dismissing the charges.

“Mrs. Thompson has suffered too much over the last four years and hopefully can now begin to put all of this behind her,” Cheshire said.

Thompson and Watson were among five people indicted in September 2013 in the case. The grand jury said Thompson had provided Little with airline tickets for himself and a friend. It also said she provided him $150 and received a package from Watson containing $2,000 in cash for Little and “facilitated the delivery of that money,” according to the indictment.

The state’s Uniform Athlete Agents Act requires agents to register with the Secretary of State’s office and is designed to shield athletes from sports agents who would offer gifts to entice them to sign representation contracts.

Each count of “athlete-agent inducement” was a low-level Class I felony. While each count carried a maximum prison sentence of 15 months along with civil penalties of up to $25,000, Woodall has said that anyone who doesn’t have a criminal record must be put on probation if they plead guilty or are convicted of a Class I felony.

Watson faces 13 counts of providing cash or travel accommodations to Little, Marvin Austin and Robert Quinn valued at nearly $24,000 in an effort to sign them. He also faces one count of obstruction for not providing records sought by authorities.

Two of Watson’s associates and a former college football player who is a friend of Little’s have also been charged in the case. The next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.

The Secretary of State’s office launched its probe shortly after the NCAA started looking into improper benefits and academic misconduct within the program in summer 2010. Thompson was connected to several academic violations in that probe and had declined to speak with investigators in either investigation previously.

Woodall said Thompson has also met with former U.S. Justice Department official Kenneth Wainstein, who is conducting an independent probe into the fraud in the school’s formerly named African and Afro-American Studies (AFAM) department that included no-show classes with significant athlete enrollments.

The NCAA in June said it was reopening its 2011 investigation into academic misconduct at the school. It sanctioned the football program in March 2012.

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://twitter.com/aaronbeardap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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