The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities charged 17 former basketball players on Tuesday with academic misconduct in connection with a cheating scandal that since last year has cost four of the institution's top sports officials their jobs. The university also found that one professor, now retired, gave excessively high grades to athletes.

None of the athletes are still enrolled at the university. Each faces up to six charges of misconduct. If the athletes are found guilty, they could lose credits, have their grades lowered, or forfeit their degrees. Also, the athletes will not have access to their academic transcripts until they respond to the charges. The athletes can appeal by requesting in writing to have a hearing within the university's student judicial system.

The panel's report, which was presented to the university on Tuesday by a six-member faculty oversight committee, does not name the athletes or specify the charges. But the larger scandal centers on the allegation that several former basketball players had much of their coursework completed for them by an office manager in the academic counseling center from 1993 to 1998.

"The number of specific allegations and the period of time that this all went on is deeply disturbing," said Warren E. Ibele, a professor emeritus of mechanical engineering and chairman of the committee.

The panel investigated charges that 14 faculty and staff members gave favorable treatment to athletes, but only one professor was found at fault. Since that faculty member is now retired, the university lacks the power to impose a formal penalty. But the former professor will be denied office space, secretarial support, and computer equipment -- perks that most emeritus professors enjoy. Also, the accused professor will not be allowed to teach at the university again.

"The panel determined that the faculty member gave higher than reasonable grades to athletes," said Robert Bruininks, executive vice president and provost of the university. "It seemed that there was deferential treatment given to student-athletes."

The report also described changes that the university has made to tighten loopholes in current policies and to develop new ones to deal with cheating. Academic counselors who work with athletes will now report to the provost, instead of to an office overseen by athletics administrators. Also, the university has created an office that will have two full-time staff members to assist professors who suspect students of cheating.

"We did not have an adequate level of programs in place to help faculty follow up on suspicious behavior," Mr. Bruininks said.

Last year, investigators hired by the university released a 2,500-page report after spending eight months examining allegations that basketball coaches and athletics administrators had pressured faculty and staff members to change grades.