President Gottfredson has appointed an 11-member panel of faculty, staff and students to an athletics advisory group. The members will help ensure UO’s athletic program stays on track and that student-athletes are supported.

Journalism and Communications Professor Kim Sheehan will chair the President’s Advisory Group on Intercollegiate Athletics (PAGIA). The group will also consist of three staff advisors as well as the athletic director, women’s senior associate athletic director and the faculty athletic representative.

Gottfredson informed the University Senate in April that he planned to appoint an interim advisory group to provide recommendations on intercollegiate athletic issues. Until now, the senate’s Intercollegiate Athletic Committee (IAC) has been charged with considering athletic issues.

Gottfredson’s decision came after the chair of the IAC delivered a report to the senate calling the IAC “ineffective” and “broken.” Several senators have also said the IAC isn’t functioning well, but the senate has not specifically taken up the former chair's issues. The eight-member senate committee currently has three student openings, which are expected to be appointed in fall by the ASUO.

Read more about PAGIA and see the full membership here.

-- By Jennifer Winters, Public Affairs Communications