Former tutor: Rules in place to prevent cheating at MU

A former University of Missouri tutor said he was subject to strict rules that would have prevented the type of cheating the school is accused of during his time helping athletes.

The NCAA on Thursday handed down punishments against MU, including a postseason ban for 2019-20 for some sports, after an investigation into allegations made by a former MU tutor that she completed classwork for 12 MU athletes in order to keep them eligible.

It was university policy to make athletes’ tutors go through advisers, former MU tutor Jay Thompson said.

Thompson tutored former MU linebacker Kentrell Brothers in 2012. At the time, Thompson said, rules kept him from making any changes to Brothers’ work.

“Say you wanted to make a spelling correction on their paper or something like that, you can’t even do that,” Thompson said. “It’s because it’s technically still their work.”

He said he had no contact with Brothers or other athletes outside of tutoring and scheduling of tutoring appointments went through advisers. Thompson said tutorswere required to send reports to advisers within 24 hours of the session.

Thompson sent ABC 17 News one of his emails from the program, at the time called the Total Persons Program. The email reminded tutors to complete their reports within a “24 hour” deadline.

Staff with the university’s tutoring program referred ABC 17 News to a handbook given to tutors when asked about the regulations. The handbook includes admonitions against such actions as completing work for student-athletes or being with them when they take tests. It also warns tutors against touching a student’s computer during an appointment.

The handbook also says tutors are responsible for reporting any potential rules or procedural violations to his or her supervisor or the MU Athletics Compliance office.