Biographical Sketches of Faculty Nominees to the Athletic Board*

Mark M. Clark, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering

I am a professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and have spent my entire teaching career at the University of Illinois (since 1987). During the 1990's I was probably the single most active engineering faculty member working on minority recruitment and retention. I have served on every major department, College, and University committee dealing with minority fellowships, recruitment, etc. Two of my former graduate advisees make up 1/2 of the total African-American professorate in Environmental Engineering in the US. (They are Assistant Professors at Howard University and North Carolina State University.) I am a member of the CEE Department Advisory Committee, and was a member of the UIUC Senate and Educational Policy subcommittee during 1996-98.

I lead an active research team of post-docs, graduate and undergraduate students, and have had over $2 million in outside grants during my career at Illinois. My research focus is on drinking water quality and treatment. I have advised over 35 graduate students in their Masters and PhD degrees, and four of my former students are Assistant Professors at US universities. I have received the NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, the College of Engineering Xerox Faculty Research Award, and I was an Associate in the Center for Advanced Study last year. I teach every semester, and have received awards for my teaching (University Incomplete List of Excellent Teachers) and undergraduate advising (College of Engineering). For one of my courses, CEE340, I wrote a textbook which was published by Wiley-Interscience in 1996.

My interests in collegiate athletics stem from two fronts. First, I was a scholarship football player at the University of Missouri in the early 1970's. I was co-captain of the Freshman football squad, and in 1969 received the Carl Meier Memorial award honoring the most outstanding freshman student-athlete. Missouri had a relatively strong focus on academics at that time, and as an engineering student, I much appreciated this emphasis. I lettered during two seasons, and was a starting offensive guard in my final season. I was on Dan Devine's last team at Missouri in 1970, and part of a 1-12 team in 1971. I also had two severe knee injuries, and quit varsity sports just prior to my final year (1972). So you could say I have seen a varsity program inside and out, and have been part of the highs and lows.

The other thing that drives me to be interested in varsity athletics is the blossoming of women's sports. I'm sure contemporary students wouldn't understand this, but I often get teary-eyed when I watch a women's soccer, volleyball, or basketball games. Seeing young women getting to fully express themselves in areas which were traditionally barred (certainly still while I was in college at Missouri), is simply an extremely beautiful and moving experience for me.

Susan I. Cohen, Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, College of CBA

Service Activities: I am the President of the Board of Directors of the Illini Media Company (IMC) (since 1996) and have been on the Board since 1994. The IMC is a not-for-profit corporation that owns the Daily Illini, WPGU radio station, The Illio yearbook, and The Technograph engineering magazine. I have been on the Board and part of the admissions committee for the Campus Honors Program for many years, and served on the search committee for the director of the program. I served on the search committee for the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs when Larry Faulkner was chosen. My service that is most relevant to the Athletic Board was my participation on the NCAA Fiscal Review Committee during the last evaluation of athletics by the NCAA. I have been on many Department and College committees and currently serve on my department's Grad Studies Committee.

Research Interests: My training is as an economist, and I have a Ph.D. in Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management. My work has been published in the leading journals in my area, including the American Economic Review, The Journal of Economic Theory, Management Science, and The Accounting Review. The Public Choice Society awarded me the Duncan Black prize for the best paper to appear in Public Choice in 1986.

Teaching Activities: I have taught at all levels: undergraduate, masters and doctoral. At the undergraduate level, I teach the required Management Science course for Business Administration students. In addition, I teach a one-year sequence that I developed in probability, statistics and data analysis that is required of all doctoral students in the Business Administration Department. For many years I taught in the MBA program and the Executive MBA Program (where I won an award for excellence in teaching in 1995). Finally, I am involved with our masters programs for international managers and teach the required quantitative methods course for the MS programs in Business Administration, Accountancy and Finance.

Contributions to the Board: I believe that I would bring a great deal to the Athletic Board. As an economist by training and proclivity, I naturally think about problems in terms of costs, benefits, and tradeoffs. My thinking process is analytical, an important attribute in any decision-making situation. On a personal note, my daughter is a college athlete (she is the Captain of the soccer team at Bryn Mawr College) and as a result I have a very clear understanding of the physical, intellectual, and emotional demands that we place on our athletes. I know that my daughter's college experience has been positively influenced by her participation in intercollegiate athletics, and I would like to be part of the process that insures the same kind of experience for students here at the University of Illinois.

Charles T. Terry, College of LAW

I am a full Professor of Law who teaches in the areas of Federal Income Taxation and Decedents Estates and Trusts. I research and write primarily on capital income taxation policy, and am a leading user of financial analytical tools and computerized investment models for that purpose.

As I have become more confident and accomplished in my professional career during the last few years, I have gravitated toward positions of institutional leadership both at the University of Illinois and beyond. Those positions include chairing a subcommittee on electronic privacy for the Campus Computing and Networking Committee, serving as a member of the national Faculty Technology Advisory Board for West Publishing Company, serving on the Business Corporation Act Advisory Committee to the State of Illinois Secretary of State, and serving as Associate Dean of the College of Law.

My institutional service strengths are in my ability to see the big and evolving picture, my ability to listen well and understand almost any person's point of view, and my ability to develop and articulate a reasonable consensus among persons with a wide variety of interests and constituencies. While I have no experience in managing of making policy for a Big Ten athletic program, I certainly have had a long-standing interest in college athletics, particularly at the University of Illinois. I believe that I am as knowledgeable as a person can be who reads everything available in the media (including, I confess, the internet), and whose interest stems from a lifelong interest and participation in sports and athletics.

I am very happy at the University of Illinois, and I enjoy contributing my time and talent to making it a leader among its peer institutions. I would enjoy very much serving on the Athletic Board.

Juliet E. K. Walker, Professor, Department of History, College of LAS

Strengths in service and leadership: Professor Walker has provided twenty-four years of service and leadership at the UIUC in the following areas: the LAS Committee on Admission, Graduate College Fellowship Committee, LAS Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, University Faculty Appeals Committee, member and chairperson, University Faculty Senate, CIC Minority Fellowship Committee, Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Women, Chancellor's Bookstore Committee, and Chancellor Committee on Teaching Excellence. She has also served on the Unit One Faculty Advisory Committee and on the Illini Union Board as a Faculty Advisor. She has held committee memberships in the Southern Historical Association, American Historical Association, the Association for the Study of African Life and History and the Association of Black Women Historians as well as its Midwest Regional Director and Publications Director. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Business History Conference organization and was the initiator, co-founder, and is President of the Association for Black Business and Economic Studies.

Major teaching and scholarly interests and accomplishments: With her research and publications, Professor Walker is recognized as having established African American business history as a subfield in African American history. She is the author and editor of five books, including the first and only comprehensive history of the African American business experience, The History of Black Business in America: Capitalism, Race, Entrepreneurship (New York/London: Macmillan/Prentice Hall International, 1998) and some 90 scholarly articles, book chapters, essays, and encyclopedia entries. She is also editor of the Encyclopedia of African American Business History. Her publications have won numerous awards including the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award, Letitia Woods Brown Prize for best Book, the American Association of Publishers Scholarly Award in the Business and Management Category, a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book in African and African American Studies; a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book in Management and Labor, and a Harvard Business School, Newcomen Prize for best article published in Business History Review.

She has been the recipient of national and international fellowships including a Senior Fulbright Fellowship for Teaching and Research, South Africa, a Princeton University Davis Center for Historical Studies, Fellowship, a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship, an American Historical Association Research Grant, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship, and has held research associateships at the Du Bois Institute at Harvard University and Radcliffe as well as the UIUC Center for Advanced Studies. Walker has been listed on the Incomplete List of Faculty Ranked Excellent and was an Oakley-Kunde Award Finalist for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. She is the only professor in Social Sciences or Humanities to win the UIUC All-Campus Award for Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research.

Experiences and interest in the policy and management issues that surround a Big Ten athletic program: As an advocate for educational equity and excellence for students who participate in college sports, my interests in policy and management issues that surround a Big Ten Athletic program go beyond a personal history of sports participation, long-term attendance at UIUC sports events and being a life-long sports enthusiast. Rather, my interests are two-fold: the economics of collegiate sports and ensuring the educational success of minority college athletes. My foremost concern is the educational advancement and academic success of student athletes, especially minority athletes who participate in the big ticket games of football and basketball. Most are African Americans and my specific interests are as follows:

1) To encourage a more equitable reciprocity in allocation of capital resources invested in student athletes, especially from the monies generated by their participation in Big Ten athletic programs. Particularly, as an incentive to encourage their undergraduate academic success, I would promote the development of a graduate fellowship program that would support the professional education of Black athletes beyond their undergraduate degree in much the same way as their athletic skills have contributed to the financial advancement of the university.

2) To encourage the development of a program for collegiate athletes to serve as mentors and academic tutors to high school athletes. This would provide a venue that could enable college athletes, from their own experience, to stress the importance of academic success in high school as a basis to succeed in college to graduation.

3) To find ways to increase the number of minorities, especially African Americans, as head coaches in college sports.

4) To increase UIUC purchasing contracts with minority sports apparel suppliers.

5) To encourage and support the participation of minority women in sports beyond basketball and volleyball.

As a professor who has taught student athletes, the above interests have developed from my comparison of their post-college occupational experiences with that of their peers. As an academic, my interests in membership on the Athletic Board emanate from my research and publications on the business and financial side of Black athletes in the professional sports world.

Biographical Sketches of Student Nominees to the Athletic Board*

Leslie A. Ackerman (Sophomore, College of LAS)

1. I am a student that is very interested in the athletic program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. One of my main objectives as a member would be to see the University continue to build strength and support for women's athletic programs. My future career plans involve education. Therefore, another one of my interests will be to examine the relationship between student athletics and one of the primary missions on the University: academics. I am very pleased with the development of the new Irwin Academic Services Center.

2. I am involved in several student organizations. Currently my major time commitments include forming a slate for the upcoming student government elections and an office that I hold in a social sorority. Despite these commitments, I have plenty of time to devote to the Athletic Board. Service on the Board would be a priority for me if appointed. I would be willing to dedicate as much time to the Board as is necessary.

3. Both of my parents are graduates of UIUC, and I have been an Illinois athletics fan since I was a small child. However, I have not been directly involved in the athletic program.

4. I would be very willing to give as much time (including weekends) to the Athletic Board as is needed.

Amanda Vinicky (Sophomore, College of LAS)

1. I want to continue my membership on the Athletic Board after my involvement with it for the past term. Serving on the Board allows me to serve the student body and to have a part in decision-making processes of academic and public affairs issues of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. My experience at the University of Illinois has been affected by my heavy involvement with various organizations, including student government and the Athletic Board. These activities allow me to interact with representatives from each of the levels of groups that help the University function¾faculty, fellow students, and department specialists. I enjoy the atmosphere of the committee, as each perspective brings something else to the table. My involvement in other organizations, from my sorority to volunteering to student government helps me to be qualified to represent the student body on the Board. Through these activities, I have learned organizational and speaking skills. I have been able to realize problems within the University and community and then take the initiative to make changes to improve the situation. Currently, I am working to improve the public relations of my sorority and working on academic issues such as extending library hours, counselor abilities, professor evaluations, and more. I am not afraid to speak my mind to the adult Athletic Board members, yet I have a profound respect for their work. Furthermore, my involvement in many sectors of the University has helped me to gauge a sense of student perception on various issues. Representing these common interests of the student body is and would remain my main goal on the Athletic Board. This year, I have used my position on the Board to learn about the situation of the adapted Varsity sports program. Because of my Board membership, students have called or e-mailed me about concerns, particularly about seating changes at Varsity Men's Basketball games. I then took action, notifying the Board Chair and others of this problem¾we are now working to amend the situation. One of my other main priorities is working with the Board as U of I continues its experience with the title IX requirements. I am a firm believer in equality, and it is an honor that the University is working to comply with these standards. As the Athletic Board makes decisions regarding which sports will be brought to the DIA under the NCAA's Emerging Sports program, I would like to have a voice in choosing the sports and working to ensure quality of all athletic teams. Furthermore, I hope to continue instilling pride in the University and its athletic teams. This is one of the most important parts¾and fun parts¾of an enjoyable collegiate experience. As a political science/broadcast journalism major, my career would be helped greatly. With every meeting, I learn how to ask the right questions and get the information needed to make a decision. I am also able to see how change occurs, and why, and learn about the part I can take in it. Communications will be integral to my career, and the diverse interaction aids in my communications skills as well.

2. I am, as previously stated, involved in many activities, including student government, Volunteer Illini Projects, a social sorority, and a professional club. I'm also a proud fan as a member of Illini Pride, attending games, meeting athletes, and hanging out with other fans who bleed blue and orange. I believe the Athletic Board complements my involvement with these other activities. However, whereas these do take time, I can safely say that my membership on the Athletic Board is a high priority¾my commitment to attendance and working for the Board is strong.

3. Yes, I have been involved as a student representative on the Athletic Board for the past term. I am also involved in U of I athletic programs through Illini Pride.

4. I would be ready and willing to devote weekend time to Athletic Board responsibilities.

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*The following questions were asked of each nominee:

1. Why do you want to become a member of the Athletic Board, and what are your qualifications? If selected to be a member of the Athletic Board, what would your main goal or objective be? How would membership on the Board relate to your career goals?
2. In what other activities (clubs, honoraries, etc.) are you involved on campus, and how many hours per week do you participate in them? How much time will you be able to devote to the Athletic Board? (Are you currently employed or involved in another time-consuming activity that might limit your ability to serve on the Board?
3. Have you previously been involved with the Athletic Board or the UIUC athletic program in general? If so, please describe.
4. If selected to be a member of the Athletic Board, how would you feel about devoting part of your weekends (i.e. Friday evenings and/or Saturday/Sunday mornings) to this committee?