The NCAA News - News and Features

January 12, 1998

NCAA CONVENTION -- Shalala address to open session for Division I

Donna E. Shalala, U.S. secretary of health and human services, will address the role of athletics in higher education when she speaks to the Division I membership at the 1998 NCAA Convention.

Shalala's address will be delivered at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time) January 12 to begin a day of forums, presentations and discussion sessions for Division I delegates.

After Shalala's speech, Division I representatives will break into smaller groups that will focus on a number of issues, including student-athlete employment, basketball recruiting, the legislative process and gambling. Presentations also will be made on technology and electronic communications, the public perception of intercollegiate athletics, marketing of intercollegiate athletics, and enhancing communications between student-athletes and administrators. In addition, a forum will be conducted on the Division I-AA Football Championship.

Shalala was confirmed as secretary of health and human services in January 1993. The department administers a wide variety of programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and almost all of the federal welfare and children's programs.

Before her current appointment, Shalala served for 10 years as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She was the first woman to head a Big Ten Conference university.

Previous to that, Shalala was president of Hunter College at the City University of New York for eight years.

At Wisconsin, Shalala administered the nation's largest public research university. During her tenure, she helped raise more than $400 million for the university's endowment and spearheaded a $225 million state-private partnerships program to renovate and add to the research facilities for its world-class scientists.