Institutional integrity at the University of Tennessee is in ‘peril’ according to a former vice chancellor for student life who confirmed to The Tennessean that athletic department leaders often gave their opinion and inappropriately pressured others on how athletes should be disciplined.

Tim Rogers, recently retired after 38 years at the school, met with UT President Joe DePietro and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek in spring 2013 to voice his concerns on how unfair pressure from athletic department officials was affecting his job in handling student misconduct.

Rogers said members of the athletic department tried to unethically influence decisions made by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs involving athletes, requesting greater leniency on disciplinary issues. The Tennessean uncovered minutes from that meeting and reached out to Cheek for comment.

Cheek said several stakeholders were unhappy with the way Rogers and his office were coming down on athletes and non-athletes. DePietro listened to Rogers’ pleas and told the newspaper he met directly with Cheek and Athletic Director Dave Hart to discuss the issue.

DePietro said Cheek and Hart denied any direct pressure applied to Rogers and was confident UT athletic department officials were being truthful.

This revelation comes amidst recent serious accusations of at least five football players who have recently been accused of sexual assault including linebacker A.J. Johnson.

Rogers’ accusations can be found in documents sent to DePietro obtained by The Tennessean along with several other concerning details involving the athletic department’s possible interference with the university’s Office of Student Judicial Affairs.