Behind the rules and regulations of college sports are a collection of athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes, conferences commissioners, and people like Brian Shannon, a faculty athletic representative for Texas Tech University.
Shannon, a professor at Texas Tech's School of Law, has been a NCAA faculty athletic representative, or FAR, for Tech since 2008, a role in which he ensures a college atmosphere that student-athletes can thrive in.
In a recent revamp of internal NCAA structure, Shannon was appointed to the NCAA Division I Council, a group of approximately 40 other FARs from the 32 Division I conferences that will develop NCAA legislation, oversee other councils and report to the national board of directors.
Shannon, who has been at Texas Tech since 1988 and was appointed to as a FAR by Texas Tech President M. Duane Nellis, said the structural overhaul has prompted his appointment to the national council.
"As of August, the board of directors for Division I of NCAA announced the new structure, and as part of that new structure, the entity that will report directly to the board of directors is called the council," Shannon said. "So that group will be tasked with policy development and overseeing the substructure, the governance – so whatever other councils, committees, cabinets that the NCAA needs to operate its championships and athletics at college institutions."
Jennifer Brashear, Texas Tech Athletics' associate athletics director, said Shannon is a valuable addition to the council as well as an important liaison for Texas Tech.
"Brian is very well-respected across the country and within the conference," Brashear said. "He’s been very active with the faculty reps and also just has great relationships with athletic directors, senior administrators, presidents; so I think he definitely brings things to the table and has a voice that will have a great impact."
Some of the goals that Shannon is hoping to bring to the council include keeping the student-athletes at the center of the discussions, and not letting winning records or annual revenues take precedent in council conversations.
"One thing I think we need to keep in mind – that we’re not talking about professional sports, we’re talking about student athletes," he said. "So one focus that I plan to have, along with the other faculty reps who are part of the 40 - and there’s not very many of us - but that we keep at the forefront of the discussions that this is not just about greater revenues for athletics, this is not just about wins and losses. We’re dealing with a population of individuals who may be talented on the playing field and on the courts, but we want to assure that they have every opportunity to earn a college degree."
Brashear emphasized that Shannon's appointment is valuable because of his commitment to both his relationships with other administrators and NCAA executives, but also to student-athletes on campus.
"Schools are required by the NCAA to have that position that’s appointed by the president," she said. "Every campus has it set up a little bit differently and everyone’s role doesn’t look exactly the same. Our faculty rep in Brian Shannon is very engaged. It’s very important to have that role outside of athletics that can give us counsel and advice and review and also just be that liaison or conduit with the rest of the campus."
Shannon said the Texas Tech campus and its student-athletes are a good example of campus atmospheres that he can suggest to other institutions' representatives on the council.
"The Marsha Sharp Center for Student Athletes is one of the finest such facilities in the country, in terms of being able to provide resources and counseling opportunities, academic advising for student athletes," Shannon said. "But it’s not just an athletics issue. We want our student athletes just like all the other students on campus to work with their individual advisors. Nobody’s asking that student athletes be given any special treatment; [only] that they be treated like any other student.
"Like we want for all our students, we want to see them proudly going across the stage with a diploma."
