First meeting for new co-vice chair Arne Duncan; Lon Kruger, Marcus Lattimore and JC Watts among guest panelists
Who: The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, chaired by William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor emeritus, University System of Maryland; and Co-Vice Chairs Carol Cartwright, president emeritus, Kent State University and Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, will be joined by collegiate athletics administrators, former athletes and experts in law and sports medicine. This will be the first meeting for new members Arne Duncan, Anna Nelson Spangler, chairman of the Spangler Companies and Paul Tagliabue, former commissioner of the NFL.
What: The Knight Commission continues its public examination of important policy issues impacting the conduct of college sports. This meeting will focus on health and safety and amateurism issues. Marcus Lattimore, former college football player at the University of South Carolina; Lon Kruger, head men’s basketball coach at the University of Oklahoma; and JC Watts, former college football player at the University of Oklahoma will participate in the discussion with collegiate athletics administrators, other former athletes and experts in law and sports medicine.
See agenda below for more information.
When: Tuesday, May 10, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT. Media will have an opportunity to interview and speak with presenters and the Knight Commission chair and co-vice chairs at the conclusion of the public session.
Where: Holeman Lounge, National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW; Washington, DC 20045. Media work room will be available in the First Amendment Room from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Attend: Sessions are open to the media and public. To RSVP for the meeting, contact hadley.dreibelbis@finnpartners.com
Follow: Follow @KnightAthletics for the latest developments from this meeting. Photographs and highlights from the meeting will be posted on www.knightcommission.org following the event.
Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics: Public Meeting Agenda (Holeman Lounge)
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Health, safety and well-being of college athletes
- Ron Courson, senior associate athletics director – sports medicine, University of Georgia Athletic Association
- Marcus Lattimore, former All-American football player, University of South Carolina; founder, Marcus Lattimore Foundation/DREAMS
- Margot Putukian, director of athletic medicine, Princeton University; past president, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
- Lori Runksmeier, athletics director, Eastern Connecticut State University; member, NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports
- J.C. Watts, chairman, Watts Partners; former congressman; former college football player, University of Oklahoma
- Kevin Glover, associate athletics director, University of Maryland; former NFL player; former football player, University of Maryland
10:45 – 12:30 p.m. Examining NCAA amateurism issues and the continuing debate over the use of college athletes’ names, images and likenesses
- Gabe Feldman, associate professor of law and director, Sports Law Program, Tulane University; associate provost for NCAA compliance
- Lon Kruger, head men’s basketball coach, University of Oklahoma
- Joel Litvin, former president, league operations, NBA
- Stephen Ross, director, Penn State Institute for Sports Law, Policy and Research; professor of law
- Rollins Stallworth, former football player, Stanford University; chair, Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
About the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
The Knight Commission was formed by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in October 1989 in response to highly visible scandals in college sports. The Commission’s goal is to promote a reform agenda that emphasizes the educational mission of college sports. Over the years, the NCAA has adopted a number of the Commission’s recommendations including the rule that requires teams to be on track to graduate more than 50 percent of their players in order to be eligible for postseason competition. The Commission’s Athletic and Academic Spending Database provides financial data for more than 220 public Division I institutions to provide greater financial transparency on athletics spending.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.