Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology At the UIUC, I am an Associate Professor in Veterinary Virology in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology and Section Leader of the Virology Section, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. As a veterinarian and a molecular and diagnostic virologist, my major teaching commitments are as course coordinator of Veterinary Virology (VP337) taught in the DVM professional curriculum and The Biology of Emerging Infectious Diseases (VP360) taught across campus to undergraduates and graduate students. Institutional service has involved: the Laboratory Animal Care Advisory Committee (IACUC, 1986-1993), Faculty Senate (1996-1998), the Faculty Senate Student Discipline Committee (1996-1999) and University Scholars Selection Committee (1994 & 1995). Moreover, I was the applicant for and organizer of two major campus events: CAS/MillerComm97 and CAS/1998 Beckman Lecturer. As an undergraduate student just prior to athlete scholarship opportunities for women (aka Title 9), I greatly benefited from my participation in extramural competitive sports (volleyball, basketball, tennis and swimming) while also working as a student hourly. Therefore, I am well acquainted with the time demands of training and competition venues and often the lack of funds faced by student athletes. Yet the needed discipline for these challenges focused my attention on the important goal for every student - to obtain a solid liberal arts education that would enable any number of possible careers. I view this to be the paramount concern for every university administrator, coach and athletic board. As a member of the UIUC Athletic Board, I hope to promote the university environment that enables the genuine preparation of each student athlete for their eventual life-long contribution to their families and society, and not simply preparation for game-day or serving as farm-clubs for professional sports. Thomas Weissinger
Associate Professor of Library Administration and Afro-American Studies Professor Weissinger is the Afro-American Studies Bibliographer and head of the Afro-Americana Library. Previous posts: African Studies Bibliographer and head of the John Henrik Clarke Africana Library at Cornell University; Bibliographic Instruction Coordinator at Rutgers University Library; Municipal Reference Librarian at the Newark, N.J., Public Library. Degrees: SUNY at Buffalo (B.A., 1973); University of Pittsburgh (M.A., 1978, M.L.S., 1980). He has first-hand experience as a graduate student tutor in the Athletic Department at the University of Pittsburgh. He provided academic support for student athletes from the basketball and football programs. He has been attentive to collegiate rules affecting recruitment and participation in collegiate sports by minority athletes. Experience related to recruitment, retention, and equity stems from service on various personnel, appeal and promotion review committees, including the University Library's ad hoc Tenure Appeals Committee at UIUC, Committee on the Economic Status of Librarians, and the Review Committee for Promotion to Associate Librarian at Cornell University. STUDENT NOMINATIONS FOR THE ATHLETIC BOARD Derek Chan
Junior, LAS - Biology Why are you interested in serving on the Athletic Board? I believe that sports supplements a human being's experience. As a former high school athlete, I learned the value of good work ethic, organization skills, and fair competition. Student-athletes here at the University of Illinois are in a situation unique from most other students. They must balance their academic and athletic commitments utilizing good work ethic, organizations skills, and fair competition. Furthermore, as University of Illinois student-athletes, they are representatives of a world-class institution and because of that, a fair and ethical athletics program is necessary to project to the public the excellent quality of the University of Illinois. I would like to serve on the Athletic Board because I want to see and help these student-athletes succeed in their goals and dreams and maintain University of Illinois Athletics as a source of pride among our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The University community has much to be proud of with its athletic program. We have a national champion men's tennis team, a volleyball team in the Sweet Sixteen, an exciting top 15 basketball team, and the number one wrestling team in the nation, among other things. More importantly, it is recognized by US News and World as one of the Top 20 Division I intercollegiate athletics programs in the nation in its "College Sports Honor Roll". As a huge Illini sports fan, I am proud of this fact and would like to contribute to the continuing success of the University of Illinois student-athletes. What do you hope to bring to this committee? I would like to bring to the Athletic Board a perspective that might not necessarily be present on the Board. We include a membership of diverse backgrounds and points-of-view so that as many opinions are represented and all aspects of athletics from the graduate assistant football coach to the star point guard of the basketball team are not left out. I think that being Asian-American, the attitudes I have about sports and academics growing up are probably different from people of other backgrounds and at the benefit of the student-athletes of similar backgrounds as me, I would like to share them with the Athletic Board. Also, my sports in high school were soccer and golf, so I have a particular interest for those student-athletes participating in the Olympic sports, since the student-athletes on the football and basketball teams garner the most attention. Throughout my college career, I gained positive and educational experiences working with other people by serving in (and leading on many occasions) many registered student organizations, as well as various Senate, Vice Chancellor's, Chancellor's, and Illinois Student Government Committees and I hope to apply these experiences to the Athletic Board. I appreciate your consideration for this position. Jay Scholl
Junior, ACES - International, Resource, & Consumer Economics Why are you interested on serving on the Athletic Board? I am interested in serving on the University of Illinois Athletic Board because I understand the importance athletics play in being part of a premium educational institution. Ever since I was born I have been cheering for Illinois athletics and I have learned the value of the tradition it brings to our university. I am also interested in serving in this position because of my interest in athletics. I have participated in a number of athletic activities throughout high school and college and understand the amount of work it takes and behalf of the athlete, coaches and administration to succeed. When it comes down to it there are two things involved with this committee that I really love, the University of Illinois and athletics. Because of this combination I think the Athletic Board would be a great place for my service. What do you hope to bring to this committee? I hope to bring a voice of the student body to the Athletic Board. I think that too often people in positions such as this forget the reason that they are there, to represent those who elected them. I also think that I will bring a great deal of enthusiasm and dependability to the Athletic Board. I am very excited about having the opportunity to serve on the Athletic Board and I will carry over that excitement if I were to be selected. I would be honored to serve as the Student Senate representative on the University of Illinois Athletic Board and look forward to bringing a student voice to the committee.