Report: Former academic advisor alleges that UCLA assistant coach asked for grade change

A former UCLA men’s basketball academic coordinator alleges that assistant coach Duane Broussard asked him to try and change a player’s grade.

Will Collier, who worked at UCLA for 16 months before resigning in January, told the Chronicle of Higher Education that Broussard wanted him to approach a professor last December as part of an effort to keep an unnamed Bruin eligible for the rest of the season.

“To insinuate that I would pressure anyone to do something unethical or not follow policy is, quite frankly, insulting and just flat wrong,” Broussard told the Chronicle. He added that he was only trying to maintain “an open line of communication with our academic advisors.”

A UCLA spokesperson said the school stands by Broussard’s comments, as well as other statements from employees refuting Collier’s claims.

The professor in question told the Chronicle that he and the player eventually came to an agreement on how to fix his grade from a C- to a B. He also said that the player contacted him on his own. However, the professor also told the Chronicle that he eventually regretted not giving the player an incomplete.

In addition to his claims about Broussard, Collier showed the Chronicle advising records that showed a problem with lack of attendance, including one player who missed five mandatory support appointments within six weeks. UCLA questioned the accuracy of Collier’s notes, and said the former advisor was himself at fault for miscommunication with players.