Columbia, Mo. ? The entire Missouri men’s basketball program will be investigated by a panel led by an electrical engineering professor because of allegations of academic cheating, university president Elson Floyd said Monday.

Missouri’s athletic department already was conducting its own investigation and is cooperating with an NCAA investigation.

Floyd said the investigation would be a “continuation, extension and amplification of the work already done” by the athletic department and that Columbia Chancellor Richard Wallace supported the probe.

The investigation is to be led by Michael Devaney, a professor of electrical engineering and past chairman of the Faculty Council on the Columbia campus.

“This is going to be a thorough and objective investigation of the men’s basketball program, especially because of the allegations that have touched on academic integrity. I can tell you this is an issue that faculty takes very, very seriously and needs to be assured that the athletes’ work is truly their own work,” said Devaney, a professor at Columbia since 1969.

The allegations of academic cheating surfaced in recent weeks when the ex-girlfriend of former Missouri point guard Ricky Clemons alleged he received answers to tests and improper help writing papers.

Athletic director Mike Alden said he welcomed the elevated investigation and had discussed it with Floyd.

Coach Quin Snyder did not immediately return several messages left with the men’s basketball office.

The coach has said in interviews he was unaware of any academic cheating by Clemons, who accumulated 24 credit hours last summer at Barton County (Kan.) Community College and through correspondence courses to qualify to play for the Tigers.

Snyder, 36, has coached MU for four seasons. The team made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament this year, losing to Marquette 101-92.

On Dec. 20, 2002, Snyder signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at Missouri through 2008. The school said the deal was worth slightly more than $1 million a year.