Thomas F. Conry
Professor Conry has been a member of the University of
Illinois
faculty for thirty-four years and served as Head of the Department of General Engineering for eleven years (1987-1998).His teaching interests are in structural mechanics and mechanical design, and his research interests are in tribology, especially friction, wear and surface damage at the contact interface in mechanical components.
Professor Conry has served on the UIUC Campus Senate for over eighteen years.He served on the Senate’s Special Committee on Admissions and Educational Programs for Student Athletes (1982-1983), which resulted in the establishment of the summer bridge program for student athletes.He chaired the following Senate committees:Committee on Educational Policy (1987-1988); Fourth Senate Review Commission (1993-1995); and Committee on Committees (1999-2000).He was Chair of the Senate Council (1996-1997).He was elected twice as a member of the University Senates Conference (USC) (1997-2003) and served as Chair of the USC in 2001-2002.
Other service to the UIUC campus and the University has included the Deans Budget Committee for the Urbana-Champaign Campus (1998-2001) and the Chancellor’s Strategic Plan Consultative Committee (1999-2000).As part of his leadership duties on the University Senates Conference, he was ex-officio a member of the Human Resources and Business Administration Management Team (1997-2001); the Academic Affairs Management Team (2001-2003); and the Tuition Planning Group (2002-2003).
His service experiences listed above have touched on many of the major policy and management issues surrounding a Big Ten athletic program:issues of personnel, finance, facilities, and academic performance of student athletes.He has experience in finance:he just completed a five-year term on the Committee on Finance and Investment of his professional society, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; this committee is delegated by the Board of Governors to review and recommend the annual operating budget and also to oversee the investment and growth of the reserve fund.He has also served as a consultant-evaluator for the North Central Association for over twenty years and participated on accreditation teams to many major universities in the North Central region.
Larry DeBrock
Professor DeBrock has been recognized numerous times as one of the best teachers and communicators on campus.His teaching awards include: the Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching, 2001;MBAFaculty of the Year Award, 2000; Keith E. Sawyer Memorial ServiceAward, Executive MBA, 1999;MBA Faculty Excellence Award, 1998; Exec MBA Instructor of the Year, 1996-97; MBA Professor of the Year Award, 1994-1995; Undergraduate Excellence in Teaching Award, Commerce Alumni Association, 1995; MBA Professor of the Year Award, 1993-1994; Harriet and Charles Luckman Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching, 1992; Alpha Lamda Delta Outstanding Teacher of Freshman, all-campus Instructional Award, 1990. He is also a member of the Campus Honors Faculty. He has taught many athletes because he regularly teaches Principles of Economics to as many as 1500 students at a time.
Professor DeBrock has done research on the economics of sport. He has published on voting in the NCAA, graduation rates of basketball and football players, and the economics of the NFL draft. He has also written a paper on the wage structure in professional baseball. This research naturally gives him well-informed insight into important problems that are faced by the Athletic Board.
Professor DeBrock is a longtime supporter of Illinois Athletics. He attended our NCAA regional basketball games. He was an honorary associate coach for one of our basketball games. He has regularly helped in the recruiting of football players. These activities have given him quite a bit of specific knowledge about the athletic programs.
Professor DeBrock has previously served on the Athletic Board with distinction. While on the board he served as the Chair of the Academic Progress and Eligibility Committee (APEC). His continued interest in student-athlete welfare is one of the reasons that he is again being nominated.
If Professor DeBrock is selected for the Board, he would make especially strong contributions as a member of the Academic Progress and Eligibility Committee (APEC) as well as the Financial Management Committee. These are probably the most important elements of faculty oversight on the Board.
Ann Nardulli
Ann Nardulli is currently serving out a partial term on the Athletic Board. She is chair of APEC (Academic Progress and Eligibility Committee), which carries out one of the most important functions of the Board. She has enjoyed serving on the Athletic Board and would like to continue for a full term.
She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology.The research carried out in her laboratory is aimed at understanding how estrogen-responsive genes are regulated.Given the importance of estrogen in development and maintenance of reproductive tissues and the wide-spread use of estrogens in regulating fertility and treating postmenopausal symptoms, this is an area of research with great clinical application and one of substantial personal satisfaction for her.
Prof. Nardulli's interest in serving on the Athletic Board derives in part from her long-standing association with this university.She completed her graduate and post-graduate work here, her husband has been on the faculty here for 30 years, and their two children are both graduates of this institution.Ann has a strong sense of loyalty and commitment to this institution.
Over the past 30 years Ann has come to understand that the athletic programs at the University of
Illinois
contribute to the overall university experience, not just for the student athletes themselves, but also for the student population at large.She would like to help make the experience for our student athletes a positive one - one that helps prepare them for the world ahead.
Robert Rich
Robert Rich has Professorship appointments in the College of Law , Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Department of Political Science, Basic Sciences Administration in the
College of Medicine, and the School of Public Health (UIC), as well as affiliations with the Campus Honors Program and Partnership Illinois.
This long list reveals the respect he has earned across a wide span of the campus and University. This type of understanding of different viewpoints at the University would be very valuable in the types of discussions and deliberations the Athletic Board involves.His wide experience both in teaching as well as leadership is quite an asset.
Prof. Rich's former role as director of IGPA demonstrates his willingness to serve the campus in a leadership role.And, this very position provided him with the background to be of special assistance to the Athletic Board.Many of the policy, budgeting, and management issues involved in running a multiple-campus operation such as IGPA are the same problems faced by the DIA.
Finally, his service as Chair of the UIUC Senate Executive Committee further strengthens the arguments about his breadth of understanding of campus issues from a multitude of different viewpoints.
Prof. Robert Rich is a very loyal citizen of the University. He has the credentials to back that loyalty and he is also quite interested in sports on this campus.
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Student Nominees to the Athletic Board
Justin Volker
(LAS)
I have been interested in sports for as long as I can remember. Whether it was participating, attending, or just watching an event on the television, I have always chosen to make sports a large part of my life. Before attending college I played baseball, basketball, football, golf, and wrestled.I always gave everything I had and won a few awards and recognitions, as well.I have followed the
University
of Illinois' athletic teams religiously for many years, and am currently enjoying the great success of the men's basketball team.
However, it is not enough to merely have played and enjoyed sports.
Many people participate in sporting activities, and even more enjoy watching them in person and on television, but that does not automatically qualify them to serve the athletic community.It is mainly due to my experiences in leadership and service positions that I feel I would be suited for this role.I was chosen as a Natural Peer Helper by my fellow high school students and teachers, which allowed me to attend a weekend retreat that taught further skills in listening to and aiding people in troubled times. I also served on my town's Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as the Student Director.In that position I was able to both present the concerns of the students in the community to the business world, and convey the dynamics of the business world to my peers.Aside from these positions of leadership and service, I was also selected as an Illinois State Scholar prior to entering college.While I do not feel that grades have bearing on the Athletic Board, I believe that this honor speaks to the dedication and responsibility that I apply to every task I undertake.It is for these reasons, rather than just a simple love for sports, that I feel I would be able to help the Athletic Board understand and address issues that concern the University of Illinois ' student athletes.
Talor Weltman
(LAS)
Sports have always been an essential part of my life.My parents introduced me to the athletic world before I could even walk.Throughout my life, my parents have been role models and have pushed me to become the best I can be through my school work and sports.All of my hard work paid off when I became a state qualifier in golf and placed fifth in Conference for discus.Illinois athletics have been a tradition in my life, especially since my parents are graduates of University of Illinoi.I am an avid fan of Illinois athletics, especially football and basketball.I also immensely enjoy watching the women's volleyball team and the men's hockey team.This year I will be going to my sixth consecutive Big Ten Basketball Tournament and when I was a freshman in high school, I had the opportunity to go to the Nokia Sugar Bowl to watch the University of Illinois play. Through sports, I have learned some of the most valuable characteristics a person can develop.Sports build character; teach ethics, dedication, and competitiveness.I know how important these qualities are to student athletes and I would love to have the opportunity to help maintain these long standing traditions and fulfill each and every athlete's needs and goals. Not only have I been bleeding Orange and Blue for 18 years, but I believe I can bring many ideas and solutions to the problems facing student athletes.I would like to contribute my dedication, willingness to help student athletes, and be a representative for women's sports on this campus and in the Big Ten Conference.I would also like to bring a student's perspective and ideas to the athletic board, especially about issues such as student-athletes participating in Olympic sports, students coping with their studies and practices, and even the diversity in
University of Illinois sports programs.As an athlete, I realized that I became closer to my peers who are of different backgrounds, race, and ethnicity through sports.I believe this is a vital aspect to understanding important issues in the Big Ten and everyday life.I would be ecstatic if I were given this honor to serve on the Athletic Board and would carry over this enthusiasm with the jobs I would serve as a member to the committee.