The university has announced the creation of a new Board of Trustees committee to conduct a comprehensive review of athletics at the university, including 22 varsity sports and three major facilities.
The board has named trustee and alumnus Randy Levine, B.A. ’77, president of the New York Yankees, as chair of its newly formed Athletics Committee, which is tasked with evaluating how best to raise the national profile of athletics at GW.
The Athletics Committee, composed of trustees and GW senior leadership, will oversee the development of a strategic plan for the Department of Athletics, which will include an assessment of athletics management, sponsorships, fundraising, and facilities and infrastructure.
The strategic plan will also examine the student-athlete experience at George Washington, including academic support, admissions standards and scholarships for these students. A steering committee comprising students, alumni, faculty and staff will be established.
Board of Trustees Chairman W. Russell Ramsey, B.B.A. ’81, says Mr. Levine’s experience will be key to advancing athletics at the university. “Randy Levine’s tremendous leadership and sports management expertise will assist this committee in shaping its recommendations to continue raising the quality and stature of GW athletics,” said Mr. Ramsey, a former Colonials baseball player and GW Athletic Hall of Famer.
The marketing of athletics will be reviewed, and the committee will offer recommendations on how to engage the university community, alumni and neighbors in athletic events. The committee also will be charged with determining how to preserve and build athletic traditions and boost campus spirit. Diversity, inclusion and gender equity will be examined, as well as club sports, recreational sports and health and wellness.
Recommendations by the Athletics Committee will be submitted to the Board of Trustees by summer 2011.
“Together we will help shape the future of athletics at the university. GW has the commitment and passion to help our student athletes reach their potential in the classroom, on the field, in the water and on the court,” says Mr. Levine, a former GW student-athlete, who also is a member of the board of the YES Network, the No. 1 regional sports network in the country. “From basketball to lacrosse, this is a great opportunity to take GW athletes to a new level.”