MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin has named Christina Wells, the Enoch H. Crowder Professor of Law in the MU School of Law, the new Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR). The Faculty Athletic Representative serves as a liaison between the institution and the athletics department, and also as a representative of the institution in Southeastern Conference and NCAA affairs. Chancellor Loftin consulted with the Faculty Council Executive Committee, the Intercollegiate Athletics Executive Committee and senior staff in the athletics department before reaching his decision.
MU law professor Christina Wells is Mizzou's new Faculty Athletic Representative.
The FAR is a four-year appointment. Duties for the position include promoting and ensuring academic integrity, student-athlete welfare and institutional control of intercollegiate athletics.
“I am very excited and honored to receive this appointment,” Wells said. “It is important that there is a connection between the academic side of the university and the athletic department. Mizzou’s student-athletes are students first and I hope to help strengthen the bridge between academics and athletics by providing a faculty perspective on maintaining and improving the student-athlete experience at Mizzou.”
Wells replaces Lori Franz, professor emeritus of management in the Robert J. Trulaske College of Business, who served as the Faculty Athletic Representative for the past ten years.
The NCAA Constitution requires that all member institutions appoint a FAR. The FAR is involved in the internal workings of the athletics department, including administration, compliance, eligibility, and student-athlete welfare. Other duties of the FAR include: provide input to the chancellor and director of athletics regarding athletic issues at MU; serve as a member of the athletics senior management team and provide information as to how issues on campus may affect intercollegiate athletics; maintain awareness and knowledge of the major issues facing the NCAA and college athletics and advise the chancellor with regard to current issues and their impact on MU and the SEC.
