Trinity sophomore Greg Newton lost his final appeal of an academic dishonesty conviction and received an immediate suspension from the University Friday.
Newton, a forward on the men's basketball team, missed the team's 99-86 loss to North Carolina on Saturday and will also miss this week's Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. His sentence includes the loss of any spring semester credits and suspension for the first summer session. Newton can reapply for admission to the second summer session, which begins July 3.
Newton was initially sentenced to a two-semester suspension, the Raleigh News and Observer reported last month.
Had Newton been suspended for both sessions of summer school, as the initial sentence would have required, he would not have been eligible to play until the 1996 spring semester. To play, athletes must accrue enough credits to meet the NCAA regulations regarding "satisfactory progress" toward a degree.
If Newton receives two course credits during the second summer session, he will have satisfied the NCAA requirements and would then be eligible to play during the 1995 fall semester.
"Greg Newton is family," men's basketball assistant coach Mike Brey said Sunday night. "He's a big part of the Duke basketball program and family. We are so excited that he will be back here in the summer. We can't wait to get him back in the fold and look forward to him being a big part of things next season."
President Nan Keohane ruled on Newton's final appeal last week. Appellate officers are free to make changes to both the length and timing of UJB sentences, pending approval of the student's academic dean, said Paul Bumbalough, associate dean for student development in charge of judicial affairs. The typical sentence for an academic dishonesty conviction is two semesters, Bumbalough said. The two summer sessions count as one semester for UJB sentences.
John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs, declined to comment on the specifics of the president's decision-making process, but he said the president might consult an accused athlete's coach before ruling on a UJB appeal.
Men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has been sidelined since early January with an ailing back, commented on the decision in a statement Friday. "Duke University and the basketball program will certainly miss Greg," Krzyzewski said. "However, we look forward to his return next season and a re-dedication to his academic and athletic pursuits."
Brey said that Newton would probably head home to Niagara Falls, Ontario, sometime early this week. Newton is expected to return to Durham in May and will work at the Duke basketball camp before starting summer classes in July, Brey added.
Brey said that the Duke coaches had offered Newton the option of transferring to another school because of the negative publicity surrounding the case.
"We gave him an out--we said, You're not letting anybody down. We can fully understand'," Brey said. "Greg looked us in the eye and said,I'm not going anywhere. I'm not transferring. I want to be here. I want to graduate from here, and I want to play here for my junior and senior years.'"
Newton, 6-10, played in 25 games for the 12-17 Blue Devils this season, averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds a game.
Newton was brought before the UJB for allegedly cheating on an exam in Computer Science 001 last semester. He pleaded innocent, but was found guilty by the UJB. Keohane's decision marked the second and final denial of Newton's appeal.
Dan Wichman contributed to this story.
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