We are deeply saddened by the news that our friend and colleague Thomas K. Hearn passed away yesterday at his home in Winston-Salem. Hearn was a founding member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and served as the Commission’s chairman in 2005 and 2006. Recognized as one of the nation’s top university presidents during…
In articles published July 31 in USA Today and the Chronicle of Higher Education, Knight Commission Executive Director Amy Perko called on the NCAA to take action to protect college athletes from being exploited by a fantasy league using their names without permission and for commercial purposes. The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Perko…
LINK HERE for PDF of the letter
Former Wake Forest basketball star was a three-time Academic All-America honoree (June 25, 2008)—–Amy (Privette) Perko, executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, has been selected for induction into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame. Perko, who will enter the Hall as part of the 21st class, will be inducted with four…
The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics held discussions on academic reform, potential changes in the basketball playing season, and changes to penalties for violating National Collegiate Athletic Association rules. The Commission called on the NCAA to shorten the season to reduce the number of missed classes and stress on players. It also commended the association’s academic performance program, but noted that a complex waiver process is threatening to weaken standards designed to hold programs responsible for the academic progress of their players.
The summit included a presentation of findings from the Faculty Perceptions of Intercollegiate Athletics Survey. The survey presentation served as the context for panelists and interactive sessions relating to the role of faculty engagement in athletics issues, faculty governance, academic integrity, case studies of athletics crises, and strategies for faculty to consider.
Key findings from Faculty Perceptions on Intercollegiate Athletics survey to be discussed EVENT: The Knight Commission will host a Faculty Summit on Intercollegiate Athletics to discuss what college faculty members really think about college sports and whether they are adequately engaged with issues affecting academics and athletics. The event is free and open to…
On the heels of the NCAA’s announcement that 112 Division I teams will be penalized for failing to meet minimum academic performance standards, and are aware that tougher times are ahead, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics strongly urged college presidents to resist pressure to weaken the reforms. The Commission heard and discussed an NCAA report on Division I academic performance standards and also heard Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg discuss sweeping rules changes addressing academic underperformance by baseball players. Also at the meeting, NCAA officials released financial data showing that only 7 percent (22 of 313) of Division I athletics departments generated more money than they spent when institutional subsidies such as student fees are excluded—contrary to the public perception that athletics departments generate profits for their institutions.
Statement by Knight Commission Co-Chairman R. Gerald Turner, President, Southern Methodist University, in response to the NCAA’s release of academic data today: “We have reached a critical juncture on the road to academic reform. The NCAA has announced that at least 112 of the more than 6,000 teams in Division I will be subject to…
William E. “Brit” Kirwan, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, presides over first meeting as co-chairman; NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti and Northwestern President Henry Bienen join Commission Who: R. Gerald Turner, President of Southern Methodist University and Co-Chairman of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics William E. “Brit” Kirwan, Chancellor, University System…