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Basketball players won’t play for Ducks again

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

Three Oregon basketball players who were investigated but not charged in an alleged sexual assault have been dismissed from the team.

Damyean Dotson, 19, Dominic Artis, 19; and Brandon Austin, 18, were suspended after the school received a police report concerning allegations made by a student who said she was assaulted by the players in early March. School officials announced Friday that the players would not return to the Ducks because of conduct that is not befitting of student athletes.

The Lane County district attorney’s office investigated the allegations and determined there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute the players on criminal charges.

“They will not be playing basketball at Oregon again,” said university President Michael Gottfredson, who appeared at Friday’s press conference along with Vice President for Student Affairs Robin Holmes and athletic director Rob Mullens.

While Oregon was informed of the allegations after the woman’s father called police on March 9, school and team officials were asked not to take action so as not to interfere with the police investigation, Gottfredson and Mullens said. Two of the athletes subsequently played in NCAA tournament games for the Ducks.

Mullens said he did not know which players were under investigation when the team played in the postseason tournament.

Oregon received the final police report April 24, and the three students were suspended shortly thereafter.

“When you read the police report, it’s very clear it was conduct that isn’t befitting of an Oregon student athlete,” Mullens said Friday. “I don’t want to get into specifics but it was very clear to us those were individuals we didn’t want representing our organization.”

Brandon Austin’s attorney, Laura Fine Moro, had no comment. Neither did Shaun McCrea on behalf of Damyean Dotson. Greg Veralrud, attorney for Dominic Artis, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The woman, a university student, met the players at a party on March 8, the same night the Ducks beat No. 3 Arizona in the final game of the regular season, and before they went on to the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments. The woman’s father called police the next day.

Eugene police made public a 24-page report on Monday detailing the accusations, in which the athletes said sexual relations with the student were consensual. District Attorney Alex Gardner on Tuesday released a three-page explanation for the decision not to bring charges in the case, citing conflicting actions and statements by the victim.

After the allegations surfaced earlier this week, the school said the players were not participating in team activities but would not elaborate. The school had cited federal privacy laws in not commenting further on the status of the players.

While Oregon released a statement earlier this week saying that the school was conducting an internal inquiry, the handling of the alleged assault sparked protests on campus, including one Thursday that drew more than 100 people, many of whom accused the school of holding athletes to a different standard.

Gottfredson said the university plans to take additional action next week to address the university’s response to sexual assaults.

“Our students’ safety and security is our top priority,” he said. “We have strong policies and protocols in place, and we are working to make them stronger still.”

Gottfredson said the school would continue “to pursue all appropriate action in this case.” It was unclear whether the athletes faced expulsion.

Speaking to reporters on Friday afternoon, coach Dana Altman said the decision to dismiss the athletes from the team was ultimately made in the “best interest” of the players, the team and the university because of the intense scrutiny they faced. The players were no longer on campus.

He also said he did not know the nature of the allegations leveled at the players before the team left for the postseason games.

It is the second sexual assault allegation Austin has faced. While at Providence College, he and another Providence player were accused last year of sexually assaulting a female student on campus. The two were suspended and Austin subsequently transferred to Oregon. He had to sit out a calendar year under NCAA transfer rules.

Altman said Friday that in retrospect he should have questioned Austin more closely about why he was leaving Providence.

Amy Kempe, a spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office, said this week that that case remains under investigation.

Oregon went 24-10 last season and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. Seven seniors and two transfers have already left the team since its third-round tournament loss to Wisconsin on March 22.

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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