After revelations about the worst case of academic fraud in the history of collegiate sports at the University of North Carolina, several members of the Kansas Board of Regents said they don’t believe such deceit could happen here.

Revelations about fake classes at UNC place Kansas University in an unusual situation because men’s basketball coach Roy Williams, academic counselor Wayne Walden and current Kansas University Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little were in positions of authority over academics and sports at both UNC and KU during the time when fake classes were operational at UNC.

In interviews last week, three regents said there is no need for a review of academic support for student athletes at KU or other Kansas colleges and universities.

They said the public should be comfortable that there are no fake classes at KU because of Gray-Little’s strong ethics, integrity and focus on education.

“There is no reason to think the chancellor had any knowledge of this or was in any way involved with it,” said Regent Fred Logan, a Leawood attorney. “I believe the chancellor is a person of outstanding integrity. KU under her leadership exudes integrity.”

Staff and faculty at UNC are accused of pushing student-athletes into fake classes — independent courses that didn’t require attendance or even meetings with faculty.

Williams and Walden were at KU until 2003, when they moved to North Carolina, where the fake classes were already underway.

Gray-Little was at UNC for 38 years, 10 of those as dean, provost and executive vice chancellor while the number of fake classes was highest, according to an investigative report released last month.

In 2009, both Gray-Little and Walden left UNC, Gray-Little to become chancellor at KU.

The investigative report by former federal prosecutor Kenneth L. Wainstein corroborated years-long rumors about the classes at UNC. The investigation found that more than 3,000 students, many of them athletes, attended the fake classes over 18 years. The NCAA is now investigating.

Wainstein’s report does not mention Gray-Little and she was not interviewed as part of the investigation.

Since the investigation broke last month, Williams has faced questions about what he knew and when he knew it.

Williams is feeling pressure because Walden, an academic counselor Williams took to UNC from KU, did know about the classes and helped register basketball players for them, according to the Wainstein report.

Williams told the media he can’t remember Walden telling him about the classes. Walden has said he doesn’t believe he told Williams about the classes.

Gray-Little has refused to discuss the fake classes publicly.

All the Kansas regents who responded to requests for interviews initially had only limited knowledge of the academic fraud. The board as a whole had not discussed it publicly or with the chancellor.

At least two regents said they talked to the chancellor about the UNC situation after a Journal-World reporter contacted them.

“I don’t see any reason for us (the regents) to discuss this matter,” Logan said.

Regent Ann Brandau-Murguia, who also is a Unified Government commissioner in Kansas City, Kan., said she knew very little about the UNC academic fraud. But she said she planned to look into it.

“I absolutely will look into it,” Brandau-Murguia said.

Kenny Wilk, regents chairman and former state representative, said he “specifically spoke with the chancellor. I have great confidence in her academic integrity.”

Wilk said KU has a number of safeguards against academic fraud, including internal audits, a fiscal affairs committee and a student affairs committee.

“We have all kinds of checks and balances so people know you are paying attention,” Wilk said. “I’m going to let UNC worry about their program. I have enough to worry about at KU.”

Regent Shane Bangerter said he did not have enough information regarding the UNC academic fraud to comment. But he said KU should always be watchful for signs of fraud.

“We need to be ever diligent that does not happen here, and we need to be doing all that we can and make sure our policies are in place to prevent academic fraud from happening,” he said.

Regent Bill Feuerborn, a farmer and former state representative, said he does not believe Gray-Little or Williams knew about the fake classes.

“I truly believe in our Kansas universities there are guidelines in place that this would never be able to happen,” Feuerborn said. “I’m a firm believer that our deans have their hands in class structures and program development.”

He also said he didn’t believe Gray-Little needed to discuss with the public the UNC academic fraud that occurred during her watch.

“She wasn’t aware of it and it’s been five years since she was there,” Feuerborn said. “I think it’s very appropriate that she doesn’t talk about another university.”

Regent Robba Moran, an attorney, told a reporter during a break at a regents’ meeting Wednesday that she does not give comments for news stories.

Regents Joseph Bain, a Goodland attorney, Zoe Newton, a Sedan attorney, and Helen Van Etten, an audiologist, did not return phone calls requesting an interview.

Gray-Little has denied knowledge of the fake classes at UNC. But one former UNC professor has said she talked to Gray-Little when the chancellor was UNC provost about concerns that some student-athletes were not qualified for college and one might be functionally illiterate.

Gray-Little has said she can’t remember the conversation.