Knight Commission to Meet on Oct. 24 at Newseum

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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 university presidents Susan Herbst of the University of Connecticut and Chuck Staben of the University of Idaho; two former collegiate basketball All-Americans, Shane Battier and Trey Burke; and other university leaders and experts. This will be the first Knight Commission meeting for new member Scott Cowen, president emeritus, Tulane University. (See the complete agenda below.)

What:  The Knight Commission, which promotes reforms to emphasize the educational mission of college athletics, will discuss ways to ensure this focus is maintained at a time of big changes in college sports with the possibility of more radical changes to come. The Commission will hear from university presidents and athletics directors about the changing financial landscape in college sports and the role football plays in shaping this landscape. The state and future of NCAA Division I college basketball will also be explored, including the potential impact of changes to the NBA's draft eligibility rules and development league player salaries.

When:  Monday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. –12:15 p.m. EDT.
Following the sessions, media will have an opportunity to interview and speak with panelists, as well as the Knight Commission leadership.

Where:  Knight Conference Center at the Newseum, 8th Floor, Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.  20001
Media workroom will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Rooms 811/812.

Attend:  Sessions are open to the media and public. To RSVP for the meeting, click here. Any additional questions, please email Justin Jenkins [email protected]

Online:  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 (Knight Conference Center)

9:00 – 10:30 a.m.  The changing Division I financial landscape and best practices in managing college sports finances

• Jeff Bourne, athletics director, James Madison University
• John Currie, athletics director, Kansas State University
• Susan Herbst, president, University of Connecticut
• Chuck Staben, president, University of Idaho

10:45 – 12:15 p.m.  The state and future of NCAA Division I college basketball

• Shane Battier, former men's basketball player, Duke University; former NBA player
• Trey Burke, former men's basketball player, University of Michigan; current player, Washington Wizards
• Jeff Jones, head men's basketball coach, Old Dominion University; president, National Association of Basketball Coaches
• Bernadette McGlade, commissioner, Atlantic 10 Conference
• Jim Tanner, president, TANDEM Sports + Entertainment

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.

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SOURCE Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

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