The University of North Carolina may have released Chicago Bears star Julius Peppers' 2001 college transcripts as a mock transcript for students. And the school's fallout from the release probably won't be pretty if it's confirmed.
It remains mostly unclear how it happened, and the school maintains the records aren't those of the Chicago defensive end. But what the school called a "test" transcript is very similar to Peppers' purported transcript, including a 1.84 GPA, according to the Charlotte News & Observer.
The News & Observer points out the so-called test transcript meant to help students "use a computer program that tells them what courses a student still needs to graduate" showed that Peppers majored in African and Afro-American studies. He also may have been graded on "Independent Studies" courses.
Universities are required by federal law to keep such records private, and according to the News & Observer, the school may have used such potentially bogus classes to give special treatment to athletes.
The school already is under review for academic fraud in regards to made-up or no-show classes.
There are some inconsistencies between the two and it remains to be seen whether an investigation will come of this. School officials told the paper they planned on meeting Monday to determine the authenticity of the transcript.
