Faculty athletic chair seeks balance
Tim Logan
Senior Staff Writer
His nickname evokes the idea of a new sheriff riding into town to keep order, and law professor Fernand ÒTexÓ Dutile, the newly named chair of the Faculty Board on Athletics, will be trying to do just that in the delicate balance of athletics and academics at Notre Dame.
University president Father Edward Malloy appointed Dutile to chair the board in July. Dutile replaces former executive vice president Father William Beauchamp in another step in the restructuring that has reshaped the Athletic Department since December, when the NCAA handed Notre Dame its first-ever major violation.
Before he was removed by the Board of Trustees in May, Beauchamp, who oversaw the Athletic Department, also chaired the Faculty Board and was Notre DameÕs NCAA faculty representative.
Now, new athletic director Kevin White reports directly to Malloy, and a law professor, Dutile, has taken on BeauchampÕs role as a faculty leader in athletics.
He looks forward to the job.
ÒI have a deep interest in both academics and athletics and I want to maintain a critical balance between the two,Ó Dutile said. ÒI hope that the board will be very active in building upon the work done by the previous chairs. Father Beauchamp and [former executive vice president] Father [Ed] Joyce did excellent work.Ó
The board works, often behind the scenes, as an advisory committee to Malloy on educational issues related to athletics. Its 15 members approve game and practice schedules and determine athletic eligibility, as well as try to improve academic services for student-athletes. Its chair is one of the four people on campus who works with the NCAA.
Notre Dame joins most other schools in having an NCAA representative from the teaching faculty outside the athletic or administrative hierarchy. Dutile said he thinks this is a good idea.
ÒYou have more confidence and influence with the faculty,Ó he said. ÒItÕs more balanced.Ó
Striking a balance between academic integrity and athletic success at Notre Dame can be a challenge. High admissions standards eliminate many potential recruits, especially in the high-profile sports of football and menÕs basketball. After the football teamÕs recent struggles, some alumni have called for the University to lower those standards, but Dutile said he does not believe in that.
ÒI think that Notre Dame can maintain its academic standards and be competitive and I think we should strive to do that,Ó he said. ÒThereÕs a line below which at least I donÕt want to go in order to win.Ó
Dutile has long been active on University committees. He has served on the Academic Council for 25 years, sat on search committees for Notre DameÕs last two provosts and was acting dean of the Law School from 1991-1993. He was also a member of the Faculty Board on Athletics from 1991-98.
In announcing the appointment, Malloy emphasized DutileÕs experience and said he is the right man for the job.
ÒTex Dutile has earned a richly deserved reputation for his intelligence, judgment, independence and integrity,Ó he said. ÒI have great confidence in Tex and I know that the University will be well served with him in these two critically important positions.Ó
All News Stories for Thursday, August 24, 2000
