The Drake Group, a national organization of faculty and others who are committed to academic integrity in college sport, have scheduled their annual conference and meeting during this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, IN March 31-April 1, 2006. 

The conference, entitled “A Century of College Sport:  A Turbulent Past, A Conflicted Present, A Brighter Future”, will take place at University Place on the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus.  Over 50 presenters and panelists from 18 states will gather in Indianapolis to discuss topics related to college sport reform, issues pertaining to academic integrity in higher education, and the college athlete experience.

Dr. Richard Lapchick, Chair of DeVos Sport Business Management Program, Director of the Center for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, and Director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports at the University of Central Florida is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on Friday, March 31^st at 4:00pm.  Dr. Lapchick’s 11^th book, “New Game Plan for College Sport” comes out this Spring. 

Other College Sport Experts Scheduled To Speak

·         Dr. Percy Bates, Professor, Faculty Athletics Representative, University of Michigan

·         Dr. Donna Pastore, Professor, Interim Dean, College of Education, The Ohio State University

·         Dr. B. David Ridpath, Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University and Executive Director, The Drake Group

·         Dr. Allen L. Sack, Professor, University of New Haven, co-author of College Athletes for Hire:  The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth

·         Dr. Ed Lawry, Professor, Oklahoma State University and member of Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics

·         Dr. Earl Smith – Rubin Professor, Director of American Ethnic Studies, and Chair, Department of Sociology, Wake Forest University, author of the forthcoming book Race, Sport and the American Dream

·         Dr. Ellen J. Staurowsky, Professor, Ithaca College, co-author of College Athletes for Hire:  The Evolution and Legacy of the NCAA Amateur Myth

·         Others Scheduled include Terry Holland, Director of Athletics at East Carolina; Floyd Keith, Executive Director of the Black Coaches Association, Dr. Fritz Polite of the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at UCF, and Diane Dickman, Managing Director of NCAA Membership Services

The Drake Group is presenting its third Robert Maynard Hutchins Award to Dr. Frank Splitt on Friday evening, March 31^st at 6:00pm.  The Robert Maynard Hutchins Award is given annually to faculty or staff members who take a stand to defend academic integrity in higher education.