University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Chancellor Donde Plowman has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum, becoming the first woman president or chancellor in the history of the Southeastern Conference to represent the conference in that position, it was announced Thursday by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
The NCAA Division I Presidential Forum is composed of one president or chancellor from each of the 32 Division I conferences. The purpose of the forum is to assist the NCAA Division I Board of Directors in accomplishing its strategic mission in the Division I governance structure and to help ensure that the NCAA core value involving presidential leadership of intercollegiate athletics at the campus, conference, and national level is achieved.
“We are pleased that Chancellor Plowman has agreed to this important role in representing the Southeastern Conference, and in doing so becomes a leader for our conference as the SEC’s first female president or chancellor on the forum,” Sankey said. “Strong presidential leadership is critical in national and conference matters related to intercollegiate athletics, and Chancellor Plowman’s service on the Presidential Forum comes at a time when there are substantive issues being addressed that will impact the future of college sports.”
Plowman said she is honored to represent the SEC on the NCAA Presidential Forum.
“We are leading through a critical time for our universities and college athletics—decisions of the NCAA have a real and lasting impact,” Plowman said. “At the center of all these decisions are student-athletes who need our support.”
Plowman’s three-year appointment to the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum begins Sept. 1.
“I can’t overstate how much I appreciate Chancellor Plowman’s enthusiastic leadership,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer said. “She’ll serve as an outstanding representative of both Tennessee and the Southeastern Conference in this important and well-earned role.”
-UT Athletics
