NASHVILLE, Tenn. ñ Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee has been named
by NCAA President Myles Brand to a new presidential task force to study
the future of college sports. NCAA officials characterize the goal of
the task force over the next 18 to 24 months as shaping “the next phase
in reform of intercollegiate athletics.”
Brand first unveiled plans in January to create the NCAA
Presidential Task Force on the Future of Division I Intercollegiate
Athletics in his 2005 “State of the Association” speech at the NCAA
convention. “This is an important effort to discuss and address the
next steps in shaping the future of intercollegiate athletics,” Brand
said. “The leadership of presidents and chancellors is critical in this
effort.”
The presidential task force will conduct its work through four
subcommittees, each chaired by a university president. The entire
task force is chaired by University of Arizona President Peter Likins.
The four subcommittees are Implications of Academic Values and
Standards, Fiscal Responsibility, Presidential Leadership of Internal
and External Constituencies and Student-Athlete Well-Being.
Gee will serve on Presidential Leadership of Internal and External
Constituencies, a committee that will examine the relationship that
college sports has with boards of trust, booster organizations,
foundations and other interested groups.
“College athletics involves many moving parts, but the focal point
is presidential leadership. I look forward to working with Myles Brand
and my colleagues on these important issues,” Gee said.
The presidential task force will hold its first meeting June 9-10 in
Tucson, Ariz., to develop a list of what it deems the most pressing
problems facing intercollegiate athletics.
On announcing the task force to college and university presidents
earlier this year, Brand said, “Let me be clear. There is no looming
crisis to which this group must attend. Rather, this will be the
exercise of prudent leadership to address trends that if left
unattended could undermine the goals of higher education and damage the
collegiate model of athletics.”
Media contact: Susanne Hicks, (615) 322-NEWS
Susanne.hicks@vanderbilt.edu