CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ― The reading specialist who questioned the literacy level of athletes who were admitted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says she’s resigning at the end of the semester.
Mary Willingham said in an email to The Associated Press on Monday night that she met with Chancellor Carol Folt earlier in the day.
Willingham says in the email that she and Folt “clearly have different ideas and opinions.”
“She has a job to do and I hope that she does the right thing ― academics should be in charge of this great university, not athletics,” Willingham said.
She says she will meet with her supervisor after she posts her grades next week to submit her letter of resignation and finalize details.
Willingham told CNN in January that her research of 183 football or basketball players from 2004-12 found 60 percent reading at fourth- to eighth-grade levels and roughly 10 percent below a third-grade level.
Three outside experts hired by UNC issued reports earlier this month saying Willingham’s research data doesn’t support her claims. One of them estimated about 7 percent of athletes from Willingham’s research read at fourth- to eighth-grade levels.
