University puts faith in The Compliance Group's expertise

~ Southeast accepted the conference report's recommendations for self-imposed sanctions.

If you have a problem with your plumbing, you call a plumber.

When you're an NCAA institution having a problem involving rules violations, you call The Compliance Group.

Headed by Chuck Smrt, who worked 17 years for the NCAA enforcement staff, The Compliance Group has assisted several universities and conferences in matters involving investigations, infractions and other compliance issues.

When possible violations arose involving the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball program, the investigation was turned over to the Ohio Valley Conference. The OVC in turn contracted The Compliance Group.

Smrt, along with OVC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher, joined Southeast president Kenneth Dobbins and athletic director Don Kaverman via teleconference Friday at a news conference to reveal the findings of the conference's investigation.

"We came to a quick decision we wanted more expertise involved in it," Steinbrecher said of the decision to bring in The Compliance Group.

Dobbins said he was more than pleased to have someone with Smrt's background involved.

"I don't think there's anyone more qualified than Chuck Smrt and his group, because of his experience with the NCAA and the experience of his group afterwards," Dobbins said.

The involvement of an independent group was a great comfort to Dobbins during the conference's investigation. Dobbins was executive vice president at Southeast during the NCAA investigation in 1997 involving the men's basketball program and former men's coach Ron Shumate.

Dobbins said the previous investigation was conducted by Southeast, the conference and the NCAA. By turning matters over to the OVC -- and in turn, The Compliance Group -- for the current investigation, the university could not be accused of a cover up.

"In this particular case, we wanted to make sure there was not an allegation we were sweeping something under the rug," Dobbins said, "because that was one of the discussion items, and as you know that will not stand under this administration.

"Consequently, instead of us doing the investigation, we believed it was best for the Ohio Valley Conference to take this on, and thus Jon [Steinbrecher] hiring someone else.

"There should be no question this is an independent review by an individual who is very well qualified to review NCAA violations."

Smrt acted as the lead investigator during the conference investigation, conducting on-campus interviews in a joint investigation with the NCAA. He was involved with some but not all of the NCAA's off-campus interviews.

The findings of the conference investigation along with self-imposed sanctions were released at Friday's news conference.

"Our role is diminishing, and at some point the [NCAA] enforcement staff will determine its position on whether violations occurred and decide how the case will be processed," Smrt said. "From my perspective, we were hired to help with the investigation, and the investigation is nearly over."

Further violations and possible sanctions could be handed down by the NCAA, but for now Southeast is concentrating on making sure future violations do not occur.

"Quite frankly we've learned a lot from Chuck already," Dobbins said, "and that will help us as we move forward."