UNLV's Department of Public Safety (police) have completed their investigation into the unauthorized use of a telephone PIN number to make long-distance calls, and will forward their findings to the Athletic Department and the office of Student Judicial Affairs.

The investigation found that, between August 2001 and May 2003, approximately 500 current or former students - of whom fewer than 10 percent are current or former student athletes - made unauthorized use of a telephone PIN number to place long-distance calls from campus telephones.

The PIN number was assigned to Assistant Head Football Coach John Jackson. Although the investigation was unable to determine how Coach Jackson's PIN became available to students, it found nothing to indicate that the coach had intentionally given his PIN to anyone. The total charges accrued through the unauthorized PIN use totaled $65,520 for 546,000 minutes at 12 cents per minute.

Through the Student Judicial Affairs process or, in the case of student athletes, through Athletic Department processes, the students who are responsible for the unauthorized calls will be required to make full financial restitution to the university. The student judicial process could result in further sanctions, such as disciplinary probation.

In keeping with Student Judicial Affairs policy, disciplinary holds will be placed on the records of those students involved until restitution is made. Such a hold would bar current and former students from obtaining their transcripts.

In the case of student athletes, UNLV Athletic Department rules dictate that those athletes involved will be ineligible for at least one competition in their sport. Those who accrued long-distance charges of $100 or more will face additional sanctions imposed by the NCAA.

University police examined phone records over two academic years, from August 2001 through May 2003. They found that, with few exceptions, the unauthorized calls were made from rooms in campus residence halls. Residence hall contracts hold students assigned to a room accountable for phone call charges made from that room. Residence hall phones have been reprogrammed in such a way that they will not accept PIN numbers.

University police investigators recently presented findings to representatives of the Clark County District Attorney's office in an attempt to determine if criminal prosecution would be appropriate in this matter. A number of factors make this a complex case for prosecution. When officers explained the institutional processes through which the university would seek redress and restitution from all students, the district attorney's office believed that the matter could be better handled by the university. Therefore, no criminal charges will be filed at this time. As a result of this determination, the administrative processes will begin.