Cromer Peoples Named to SEC Student-Athlete Conduct Working Group
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Associate Athletic Director Julie Cromer Peoples has been named by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey to a working group to review issues surrounding student-athlete conduct it was announced on Thursday.
Sankey announced in July at the SEC’s annual Football Media Days that he would convene the SEC Working Group on Student-Athlete Conduct, a collection of campus leaders to discuss and review student-athlete behavior.
“It is a tremendous tribute to Julie and her work within intercollegiate athletics for her to be named to such an important working group within the SEC,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. “Commissioner (Greg) Sankey recognizes the instrumental role Julie plays within our program as well as her continued leadership on important issues impacting student-athletes nationally. We are pleased Julie will be representing the University of Arkansas and the welfare of all student-athletes as a member of student-athlete conduct working group.”
Cromer Peoples is a member of the Razorback Athletics senior leadership team, is the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) and chairs the sport administrator group responsible for day-today administrative support for each of Arkansas’ 19 sports. In addition, she oversees and coordinates the Razorback Performance Team, including the strength and conditioning, nutrition, psychology, athletic training and sports medicine programs and she leads strategic planning for the executive staff, while assisting with fundraising efforts.
Cromer Peoples also serves as liaison to the Chancellor’s Administrative Policy Council, the Faculty Senate and the Faculty Athletics Committee, and provides strategic direction for departmental initiatives focused on student-athlete welfare, sports performance, gender equity and Title IX compliance. This past summer, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) recognized Cromer Peoples with the Nell Jackson Award.
Cromer Peoples joined the University of Arkansas after spending four years at Indiana University and previously working at the NCAA. She also served at Wright State University and the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.
“The SEC has already established a leadership role with our transfer review policy approved by the SEC membership last May, which for the first time establishes conduct expectations of individuals seeking to transfer to and compete in the SEC,” Sankey said. “This working group has been established to engage in a continued conversation on student-athlete conduct for the ultimate purpose of making recommendations for Conference policies or institutional best practices to shape student-athlete behavioral expectations in the SEC.”
Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Chancellor for the University of Missouri, will serve as chair of the working group. Other members joining Loftin and Cromer Peoples on the working group are Dr. Jimmy Cheek, Chancellor, University of Tennessee; David Shipley, Professor in Law and Faculty Athletics Representative, University of Georgia; David Williams, Director of Athletics, Vanderbilt University; Scott Stricklin, Director of Athletics, Mississippi State University and Dr. Matt Gregory, Associate Dean of Students, Louisiana State University.
The working group will review and discuss existing NCAA and Conference policies governing student-athlete conduct and related eligibility outcomes; standards for institutional fulfillment of expectations associated with SEC transfer requirements for personal conduct; as well as University and athletic department best practices and policies governing conduct of students and student-athletes.
In addition, the group will look at issues and policies arising in other conferences which may inform decision-making within the SEC; State and Federal legislation related to student discipline and reporting; drug testing policies and procedures; and other related issues as determined by the working group.
Updates from the working group will be provided to key SEC leadership groups at regular intervals, with an anticipated report and recommendations submitted for initial consideration by the SEC membership in the spring of 2016.
