Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. and University of Vermont President Tom Sullivan have been appointed to elevated leadership roles within the NCAA governance structure. Stanley, who already serves on the Division I Board of Directors, was named to the Board of Governors while Sullivan was selected as Vice Chair of the Division I Presidential Forum.
“I’m thrilled to see Presidents Stanley and Sullivan be selected for these coveted and critical roles within the NCAA structure,” said America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen. “The rise of the America East over the past few years is due in large measure to the values, principles and ideas for growth these two leaders have had at their respective institutions and within our conference.”
The Board of Governors is the highest governance body in the NCAA and is composed of institutional chief executive officers that oversee Association-wide issues. The board is charged with ensuring that each division operates consistently with the basic purposes, fundamental policies and general principles of the Association. Stanley, who has served as Stony Brook’s president since 2009, will be one of 20 members on the Board of Governors.
The Presidential Forum’s charge is to assist the NCAA Division I Board of Directors in accomplishing its strategic mission in the Division I governance structure and help ensure that the NCAA core value involving presidential leadership of intercollegiate athletics at the campus, conference and national level is achieved. The Forum is comprised of one president or chancellor from each of the 32 Division I conferences. Sullivan, who has led Vermont as its president since 2012, has served as the America East representative to the Forum since its inception in 2015.
“Presidents Stanley and Sullivan are both highly regarded within their respective fields of medicine and law,” continued Huchthausen. “Their expertise and influence are especially critical as the NCAA engages in a robust debate about health and safety, while also facing numerous legal challenges. The conference is proud to be represented by these two leaders at this important time for intercollegiate athletics.”
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.