More Resources Remarks by Secretary Paige

PHILADELPHIA -- U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige was in Philadelphia today to take part in the fifth meeting of the Secretary's Commission on Opportunity in Athletics.

Today marked day two of a two-day meeting devoted to the development of the commission's final report, which will be presented to Secretary Paige by Jan. 31, 2003.

Today's session was the latest in a series of meetings during which the commission has heard expert testimony, received public comment and analyzed data gathered at town hall hearings in Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado Springs and San Diego.

The next meeting is slated for Jan. 8 in Washington, D.C. At this meeting, the commission will continue discussions on the report. While the meeting will be open to the public, there will not be a public comment period.

On June 27, Paige appointed the commission to examine ways to strengthen enforcement and expand opportunities to ensure fairness for all high school and college athletes. By Jan. 31, 2003, the commission will provide the secretary with findings and recommendations that address the availability of athletic opportunities at the high school and college level.

The panel is co-chaired by Cynthia Cooper, chief executive officer of the sports marketing company, ProHaven, Inc., and former head coach of the Phoenix Mercury WNBA basketball team, and Ted Leland, director of athletics at Stanford University.

In addition to Cooper and Leland, the commission includes:

• Percy Bates, professor of education at the University of Michigan and representative to the Big 10 Conference and the NCAA for the past 12 years;
• Bob Bowlsby, director of men's athletics at the University of Iowa;
• Gene DeFilippo, athletic director at Boston College;
• Donna De Varona, chairman of the United States Olympic Committee Government Relations Committee. Donna twice won Olympic gold medals in swimming and co-founded the Women's Sports Foundation.
• Julie Foudy, president of the Women's Sports Foundation and captain of the U. S. National Women's Soccer Team;
• Tom Griffith, assistant secretary and general counsel at Brigham Young University;
• Cary Groth, athletic director at Northern Illinois University;
• Lisa Graham Keegan, chief executive officer of the Education Leaders Council and formerly Arizona's superintendent of public instruction;
• Muffet McGraw, head coach of women's basketball at the University of Notre Dame;
• Mike Slive, commissioner of Conference USA;
• Rita Simon, professor at American University's School of Public Affairs and Washington College of Law;
• Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University; and
• Deborah A. Yow, director of athletics at the University of Maryland.

For more information about the commission please visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/athletics/index.html

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