Nine EC students were suspended for submitting false transcripts to the college approximately two weeks ago, with eight of the students identified as football players. The consequences of the incident may impact the future of the football team’s season and the way transcripts are handled at the college.

A counselor received transcripts from one of the students, which were purportedly from Los Angeles Trade Tech College, Glendale College and College of the Canyons; however, the counselor contacted the other colleges to verify the validity of the transcripts and was told by the colleges that no such students had ever attended those colleges. A similar incident was discovered at Glendale Community College.

Prior to this incident hand-carried transcripts were considered official, counselor Chris Jeffries said. Due to the incident, hand-carried transcripts submitted to EC will only be considered official only under the stipulation that students provide verification from other colleges.

“El Camino will accept them (hand-carried transcripts) if they (other colleges) sign an affidavit saying that they verified that those are their transcripts,” Jeffries said.

Students may still obtain hand-carried transcripts from El Camino to be used at other colleges; however, Jeffries recommends that students verify the eligibility of these transcripts with other colleges.

“There are some colleges out there that don’t accept hand-carried transcripts,” Jeffries said. “It’s probably a good idea to check.”

A football player, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the players involved received the false transcripts from an undisclosed source.

The anonymous player said the team may have to forfeit some games from last fall and from the next season; he was disappointed with the players involved, but could understand their motives.

“They did something kind of crazy. I can’t say anything bad about them, because they were trying to get to the next level,” the player said. “If it comes back to the program, I’m not going to play next year.”

Dr. Thomas Fallo, college president, said in a news release that the college is going through a number of steps to resolve the situation.

“El Camino College’s primary tasks right now are to afford the students involved due process, to conduct an appropriate investigation to determine how the false transcripts are getting into the hands of our students and to take all necessary steps to ensure that this type of activity does not continue in our community,” Fallo stated in the release.

Harold Tyler, director of academic affairs, handles the disciplinary actions upon the students.

“When a student comes to school here, whether they know it or not, they sign a contract when they enroll. It says they will follow the student code of conduct. And when you don’t, there’s a disciplinary procedure and that’s where we are now,” Tyler said.

Tyler said the suspended students involved will receive due process. He said the students were mailed a letter describing their wrongdoing and telling them they may receive a hearing upon request.

“The other issue is that their due process has to be protected: That’s what I do,” Tyler said.

Although the students had the opportunity to request a disciplinary hearing, none of the students have requested one, Tyler said.

“They have an opportunity to say ‘You’re wrong, this didn’t happen,’ or whatever, but we’re waiting on that,” Tyler said.

Tom Nelson, football defensive coordinator, said the players may face expulsion and that they took the easy way out.

“They might have needed one class to graduate, but the temptation was stronger than their integrity,” he said.