Robert Simon, the Marjorie and Robert W. McEwen Professor of Philosophy, is one of four national experts who have been selected to present a key address at the first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Scholarly Colloquium on College Sports, to take place in January in Nashville. Simon's topic is "Does Athletics Undermine Academics?"
The inaugural colloquium will serve two primary purposes: It offers scholars the opportunity to further inform the reform movement in intercollegiate athletics, and it should stimulate research over the next several years to elevate faculty involvement with college sports. Simon will be joined by presenters from the University of Kentucky, the University of Minnesota and the University of Colorado.
Simon is also a member of the advisory and editorial board for the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium on College Sports. He is the only representative from a Division III college on the 16-member group, which was created by NCAA President Myles Brand. The board includes senior scholars in fields ranging from philosophy of sport, sport management and sport physiology to sport law, sport psychology, education psychology and journalism.
"Each of our keynote speakers is above reproach and highly regarded," said Scott Kretchmar, chair of the advisory and editorial board and a philosophy of sport professor at Penn State Unviersity. "We wanted four researchers with big names who are highly respected by their peers, so that nobody could claim we were just bringing in supporters of the NCAA. The board based its speaker selections on the quality of the research, not simply whether they positioned athletics favorably."
The inaugural colloquium will serve two primary purposes: It offers scholars the opportunity to further inform the reform movement in intercollegiate athletics, and it should stimulate research over the next several years to elevate faculty involvement with college sports. Simon will be joined by presenters from the University of Kentucky, the University of Minnesota and the University of Colorado.
Simon is also a member of the advisory and editorial board for the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium on College Sports. He is the only representative from a Division III college on the 16-member group, which was created by NCAA President Myles Brand. The board includes senior scholars in fields ranging from philosophy of sport, sport management and sport physiology to sport law, sport psychology, education psychology and journalism.
"Each of our keynote speakers is above reproach and highly regarded," said Scott Kretchmar, chair of the advisory and editorial board and a philosophy of sport professor at Penn State Unviersity. "We wanted four researchers with big names who are highly respected by their peers, so that nobody could claim we were just bringing in supporters of the NCAA. The board based its speaker selections on the quality of the research, not simply whether they positioned athletics favorably."
