Community Input Sought on UB Athletics Programs

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A committee studying the future of the University at Buffalo's intercollegiate athletics programs has scheduled two meetings to obtain input from the community.

The Corrigan Committee will hold public meetings from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 22 at the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, 742 Delaware Ave., and from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. Comments also can be submitted to the committee at corriganchair@buffalo.edu.

The 13-member committee, which was appointed by UB President John B. Simpson and has been meeting since last fall, is looking at a series of recommendations and issues contained in a report prepared by Gene Corrigan, an experienced and widely respected former athletic administrator and consultant in intercollegiate athletics, which was issued in June 2005.

The committee is chaired by Nils Olsen, dean of the UB Law School, and co-chaired by John N. Walsh, III, vice chair of the UB Foundation and chairman and CEO of Walsh Duffield Companies.

Olsen noted that to date, the university's action steps in response to recommendations in Corrigan's report have included an affirmation of its commitment to Division I-A football, the hiring of Warde J. Manuel as athletics director and the appointment of several head coaches, including Turner Gill as football coach.

Olsen said the committee has been charged by Simpson "to conduct a comprehensive review of Mr. Corrigan's report and to deliver further recommendations regarding plans to move UB's athletics program forward.

In concert with the university's UB 2020 plan for academic excellence, the Corrigan Committee seeks to refine a vision for excellence for the university's athletics program. "Among the issues being considered by the committee," Olsen added, "are the role of the university's athletics program within the Buffalo-Niagara region, the right mix of sports to be sponsored in the intercollegiate program, and the

appropriate strategies that might be implemented to transform and sustain UB's intercollegiate athletics program at the Mid-American Conference championship caliber level.

"The committee actively seeks the input of members of the local community to inform its work," Olsen said

In addition to Olsen and Walsh, members of the committee are: Laura J. Barnum, associate athletics director for internal operations and senior woman administator; Charles R. Fourtner, UB professor of biological sciences and faculty athletics representative; Marsha S. Henderson, UB vice president for external affairs; Christina R. Hernandez, assistant athletic director for business operations; Wesley Hicks, professor of otolaryngology and neurosurgery; Creighton H. Randall, Undergraduate Student Association corporate relations director; Marilyn E. Morris, professor of pharmaceutical sciences and associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral education in the Graduate School; Peter A. Nickerson, director of the Pathology Graduate Program in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and chair of the Faculty Senate; Barbara J. Ricotta, dean of students and associate vice president for student affairs; Barbara J. Rooney, associate director in the Office of Admissions; and Sean P. Sullivan, associate vice president for academic planning and budget.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York.