Comments from NCAA President-Elect Myles Brand during a press conference at the NCAA national office after the announcement of Brand as the Association's fourth CEO:

On the NCAA's selection of a university president as CEO:

"The search committee and the NCAA leadership intended to send a strong message by hiring a sitting university president. The message is that intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the academic mission of the institution. The two work together and are not contrary.

"The academic mission of the institution is supportive of and supported by athletics. In the end, it's all about the students, and it's about the institutions they attend. It's part of the experience that students -- not just student-athletes, but all students -- have in the development time they spend in their four or more years at an institution."

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"There is power in the presidency of the NCAA. Part of it is the ability to build a consensus, and a great part of it consists of working hand in glove with the presidents and chancellors of NCAA institutions. I believe that the changes that began with the 1991 Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics report arguing for presidential leadership have been pointing to this conclusion for some time, so I feel quite empowered."

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On priorities:

"My first priority is to listen carefully and understand what the points of view are of university presidents and chancellors, athletics administrators and external constituents, and most especially from the student-athletes. Once assimilating that information, the NCAA will need to think about a strategic direction.

"Over the next year I will bring about a planning process with wide involvement that will help map the future of intercollegiate athletics.

"This is a superb challenge, an opportunity for me to work on a national level in a way that continues my work with universities, to influence the course of events on something that is very important to American culture and, most importantly, to higher education as a whole."

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Comments from NCAA Search Committee Chair Bob Lawless, Executive Committee chair and president of the University of Tulsa:

On the message the hiring of Myles Brand sends to NCAA members:

"We're very serious about education being an important part of intercollegiate athletics, and this hire underscores that commitment.

"We selected Myles Brand for his ability to stress the educational component of intercollegiate athletics. Not only has he been a leader at his own institutions, he has been a leader in top educational associations. We want the nation to understand that the collegiate part of intercollegiate athletics is an integrated part of the higher education experience.

"We looked for an educational leader, and we know without a doubt that Myles Brand is a proven educational leader."