What the internal investigation may look like

Athletic Director Bill Martin addressed the football team yesterday and indicated that in Michigan’s review process, most, if not all, of members of the football team will speak with university compliance officers. A.D. Martin will have no role in the inquiry. Instead, Michigan's Compliance Services Office (CSO) will head the investigation. It is still undetermined whether Martin will retain outside counsel to assist in the inquiry. The CSO is headed by Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Judy Van Horn. Ms. Van Horn also is serving as the President of the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) for the 2008/2009 term. Michigan's CSO publishes a 162-page Coaches Compliance Manual (.pdf). The manual lists the staff members of the CSO and each individual's duties. People working at the CSO include Asst. A.D./Deputy Director Matt Stolberg, Asst. A.D. Ann Vollano, Financial Serv. Coord. Kelly Robinson, Compliance Coord. Melissa Boettger, and Compliance Asst. Roy Shavers.

The University's policy regarding responding to rule violations is set forth as follows on the CSO website:

It is the University's policy that no violation is so minor that it need not be reported. In responding to rule violations, the University will look at such factors as whether the violation is intentional, whether any advantage is gained (e.g., recruiting, competitive or for the student-athlete involved), whether a student-athlete's eligibility is affected and whether violations are recurring. The University's goals in responding will be to encourage communication, to seek consistency and accountability and, above all, to send a strong message that the University is unequivocally committed to rules compliance.
Information concerning violations will be forwarded to the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Services who will examine the situation and communicate with the Director of Athletics, the General Counsel, and the Faculty Athletics Representative. When it is determined by the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Services that a violation of the rules has occurred, the University will report the violation and correct the situation that led to the problem. Rule violations will be reported to the appropriate athletics governing body (i.e., NCAA, the Big Ten Conference, and/or the CCHA) with copies to the Office of the General Counsel, Director of Athletics, Faculty Athletics Representative, the Conference Office, and any involved staff members.

There is currently no timetable on how long the inquiry may take or even when it will commence. Go Blue!