Join Us for an Engaging and Timely Discussion on College Athletics

We invite you to participate—either online or in person—in a thought-provoking series of discussions on the evolving landscape of college athletics. Our sessions will explore critical issues shaping higher education and athletics today, including:

• Legal and Legislative Updates: Gain insights into ongoing court cases and legislative changes affecting college sports, with a detailed analysis of the House Settlement.
• Data-Driven Perspectives: NCAA staff will present the latest statistics on student-athlete outcomes, including graduation rates and transfer portal trends.
• The Rise of Sports Betting on Campus: Learn about the growing public health crisis of sports gambling among college students and its implications for universities.
• Faculty, Athletics, and the Future: Athletic Directors and coaches will lead panel discussions on the evolving role of faculty in shaping the future of college sports.

Each session includes ample time for discussion—we believe these conversations are essential, and we want you to be part of them.

Call for Participation – Sports Betting on Campus

We will be holding a special discussion on sports betting on college campuses. If your institution is actively addressing this issue and you would like to contribute, please contact COIA Chair, Daniel Durkin (dwdurkin@olemiss.edu), to be included in the session. Your insights and experiences will help shape this critical conversation.

Registration Details:

• In-person: $100
• Online: $50
• Scholarships are available—please reach out to Daniel Durkin (dwdurkin@olemiss.edu) if cost is a barrier to participation.

We look forward to your voice in this important dialogue!ue!

Register Here or Visit (http://givelsu.org/coia)

Location:
The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

Stay On-Campus:
Explore the comfort and convenience of the Inn at Ole Miss.

Reserve your accommodations now at this link.

See below for a link to a shuttle service. You would be categorized as a UM Guest.

Airport Shuttles | Outreach | Ole Miss

Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the conversation on faculty involvement in collegiate athletics! Mark your calendar for March 21, 2025, and plan to join us in Oxford.

Registration Link: http://givelsu.org/coia

Agenda

8:00 – 8:15	Welcome and Overview of the Day Daniel Durkin, COIA Chair
8:15 – 9:00	Update on Legal Cases and Legislation Affecting College Athletics Ronald Rychlak, Professor of Law, University of Mississippi David Whitcomb, General Counsel, University of Mississippi
9:15 – 10:45	NCAA Updates Binh Nguyen, Director of Academic and Membership Affairs Geoff Bentzel, Director of Division I
11:00 – 12:30	Discussion: Sports Betting on College Campuses Daniel Durkin, Associate Professor, University of Mississippi
12:30 – 1:00	Break for Lunch
1:00 – 2:30	Panel Discussion: University Athletic Directors Keith Carter, Athletic Director, University of Mississippi Zac Selman Athletic Director, Mississippi State University Athletic Directors TBD (Game Day decision)
2:30 – 3:50	Panel Discussion: University Coaches Tom Luke, Assistant AD for Football, University of Mississippi Coaches TBD (Game Day decision)
4:00 – 4:30	Discussion: What Role Should the Faculty Play in the Changing Athletic Landscape?
4:30 – 5:00	Closing Remarks and Wrap-up

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Who are we?

The Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics (COIA) works to help faculty understand changes in requirements, demands, and resources for college athletes. We want to help faculty recognize signs of problems facing student-athletes and understand what faculty members can do if they notice threats to student-athletes health or safety.

The Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics (COIA) is an alliance of faculty senates from NCAA Division I schools. COIA’s mission is to provide a national faculty voice on intercollegiate sports issues. Areas of concern include academic integrity and quality, student-athlete welfare, campus governance of intercollegiate athletics, commercialization, and fiscal responsibility. The Coalition is committed to the development of effective strategies and proposals for significant, long-term reform in college athletics. COIA works with university faculties, administrations, and national associations concerned with higher education, to implement these strategies and proposals.

Currently, Division I schools that have faculty senates are eligible to be members of COIA. During the past several years, COIA has produced a number of white papers and other documents that lay out recommendations for reform. These recommendations offer best practices that can be used by schools to examine their own policies and practices with regard to intercollegiate athletics. Many of these recommendations have also been discussed with the NCAA as possible action items.

The faculty governance body of any NCAA Division I school can be a member of COIA (see How to Join COIA). We are an ad hoc group and operate without a staff or budget. Our direction is determined by our member senates, and we warmly welcome any NCAA Division I senate that votes to join the COIA on the basis of a general agreement with the principles laid out in our policy papers and reports.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Statement

We, the steering committee members of the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics, believe diversity, equity, and inclusion improve the learning environment for all student-athletes and enhance excellence. We support all dimensions of diversity including, including age, race, sex, class, national origin, creed, educational background, religion, gender identity, disability, gender expression, income, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, and lived experiences. We believe that social justice is a right of all people. 

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