Ole Miss FAR Selected to SEC Working Group on Compliance, Enforcement and Governance

Ron Rychlak. Photo by Harry Briscoe

Ole Miss Athletics Faculty Athletics Representative Ron Rychlak has been selected as one of nine individuals from campuses across the SEC to form a working group to review and discuss issues concerning compliance with NCAA regulations and effective operation within the NCAA governance process, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced on Monday.

Sankey announced in July 2015 at the SEC’s annual Football Media Days that he would convene the SEC Working Group on Compliance, Enforcement and Governance, a collection of campus leaders to review and discuss NCAA issues.

“This working group will work to renew and strengthen the commitment the Conference membership made more than 12 years ago to a culture of compliance in the SEC,” said Sankey. “These campus leaders will review and update the principles which formed the foundation of that commitment and establish effective procedures for the SEC’s participation in the new NCAA governance structure.”

Rychlak, the former Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, currently serves as the Jamie L. Whitten Chair of Law and Government and Professor of Law. He has been on the faculty since 1987 and has served as the Ole Miss Faculty Athletics Representative since 2007.

The working group also includes chair Jere Morehead, President of the University of Georgia; Dr. R. Stuart Bell, President, University of Alabama; Mitch Barnhart, Director of Athletics, University of Kentucky; Ray Tanner, Director of Athletics, University of South Carolina; Dr. Michael Sagas, Faculty Athletics Representative, University of Florida; Samantha Huge, Senior Woman Administrator, Texas A&M University; Rich McGlynn, Executive Associate Athletics Director (Compliance), Auburn University; and Jon Fagg, Senior Associate Athletics Director (Compliance), University of Arkansas.

The working group will develop new strategies for renewing and strengthening the conference-wide commitment to NCAA compliance while continuing to fulfill the conference competitive objectives.

Also, the group will review the updated enforcement model, which is expected to include dialogue with the NCAA Vice President for Enforcement; establish best practices for enforcement within the SEC; and update minimum penalties established by the conference for certain Level III and Level IV rules violations.

In addition, the group will develop strategies intended to enhance the conference legislative process, including development of a proactive legislative agenda to be advanced by the SEC.  The group will analyze the new NCAA governance structure and its implications for the SEC, with the purpose of developing meeting schedules, committee participation, policy development and effective communication strategies.

The group will also seek to improve interaction among the Autonomy conferences as part of the NCAA legislative and governance process and address other related issues as determined by the working group.

Updates will be provided to key SEC leadership groups at regular intervals, with an initial report submitted for review and discussion by the SEC membership in the spring of 2016 with the working group expected to conclude its work prior to the SEC’s Spring Meetings in 2017.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports

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