Athletic Committee FY2026
Committee Details:
Committee: Athletic Committee
Committee Category: Standing Committees of the University Senate
Fiscal Year: FY2026
Members—
- Chair: Jana Fitchett, Business, Faculty, Voting, 2026
- Josh Arpin, Business, Faculty, Voting, 2026
- Austin Bogina, Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences, Faculty, Voting, 2027
- Matt Tidwell, School of Journalism, Faculty, Voting, 2027
- Megan Greene, History, CLAS, Faculty, Voting, 2027
- William Collins, Engineering, Faculty, Voting, 2026
- Anna Abernathy, School of Business, Staff, Voting, 2026
- Sarah Wilson Merriman, University Academic Support, Staff, Voting, 2028
- Shu Tosaka, School of Business, Staff, Voting, 2028
- Casey Soper, Student, Voting, 2026
- Jack Ritter, Student, Voting, 2026
- Anne Cao, Graduate Student, Voting, 2026
- Anna Soles, Student Advisory Committee, Voting, 2026
- Grace Zifcak, Student Advisory Committee, Voting, 2026
- Ryan King, Assoc. Director of Athletics for Student Athlete Support Services, Ex-officio, Non-voting
- Steph Mahal, Assistant Athletics Director for Student Athlete Support Services, Non-voting
- Susan Williams, NCAA Faculty Representative, Ex-officio, Non-voting
Charges—
Standing Charges
- Receive new charges from the KAI staff regarding athlete needs:
- Continue to monitor summer in person classes to ensure availability.
- Monitor and address the overall well-being of student-athletes including nutrition, physical health, mental health, and safety.
- Continue to monitor the changing landscape of college athletics and determine how changes might affect the University of Kansas.
- Continue monitoring of the academic success of student-athletes by reviewing the KAI academic reports on grade summaries, graduation rates, NCAA academic progress, etc.
- Identify potential academic barriers and provide recommendations.
- Consider the effects of university changes regarding core requirements, majors, minors, certificates etc. and determine the effect on athletes. Solve, as necessary.
- Recommend mechanisms for improved communication between KIA coaches, staff, KU faculty and students.
- Help to ensure KU maintains athletic compliance by assisting KIA with needed resources.
Specific Charges
- In consideration of the excused absence policy, the athletic committee will continue to provide recommendations and, when appropriate, distribute best practice for faculty and student athletes when missing class for travel. Continue to monitor student athlete absences related to competitions and travel.
- Review the Student athlete advisory committee programs and recommend opportunities to improve student athlete involvement in extracurricular campus and community activities. Review reports regarding this from KAI exit interviews and survey questions.
- Follow issues with the transfer portal and review how these may affect funding. Share solutions accordingly.