National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

May 4, 1998

NCAA's top staff position renamed

The NCAA Executive Committee has approved a change in title for the Association's top staff position.

The title "executive director" has been eliminated and replaced with "president."

The title change was considered during the restructuring process, but no action was taken until the April 22 meeting of the NCAA Executive Committee in Indianapolis.

Until restructuring, the NCAA president was a representative of either a member institution or conference. One of the outcomes of the federated approach to membership restructuring was that the position of NCAA president was eliminated.

The title change will better reflect the president's relationship to the Executive Committee.

A review of other staff titles that may be affected is underway.

The top staff member has held the title "executive director" since the position was first filled by Walter Byers in 1951. Richard D. Schultz replaced Byers in 1987, and Cedric W. Dempsey, who currently holds the position, joined the staff in 1994.

In other actions at its April 22 meeting, the Executive Committee:

  • Agreed that the $2,500 application fee required of prospective members will be regarded as division-specific revenue.

  • Approved budget guidelines and principles.

  • Reviewed strategic goals.

  • Approved in principle an extensive public relations survey. The survey will be included in the financial plan for this year and next year.

  • Received a report from the NCAA Foundation Board of Directors, which has indicated a desire to work more closely with the Executive Committee. Among other things, the Foundation Board has agreed in principle that the chief executive officer of the Foundation shall be selected by the NCAA president in consultation with the Foundation Board of Directors and that the Foundation's CEO shall perform under the direction of the president.