UNC-Chapel Hill spends $21 million on academic scandal

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — UNC-Chapel Hill has spent $21 million on investigations, public relations and legal bills connected to the six-year academic scandal at the school.

The university's total bill came from a Freedom of Information Act request from The News & Observer of Raleigh.

The school spent $3.5 million on a number of lawyers to defend it against the NCAA's investigation into irregular courses in the formerly named African and Afro-American Studies department.

The school got the result it wanted as an infractions committee panel ruled there were no violations because the school argued the courses were legitimate and available to non-athletes, too.

University officials say the $21 million did not come from tuition or taxpayer money appropriated by lawmakers.

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Associated Press