Brand sets academic philosophy

IU President Myles Brand acknowledged last week he plans to continue to pursue his idea of "purifying" college athletics once he takes the helm of the NCAA.\nBut he said he doesn't want to deny sports fans or athletes the chance to enjoy the games. He would just like to see a bigger emphasis on providing good academics.\n"I've had a lot of experience running large complex organizations," Brand said Friday. "I believe I can carry that experience over to the NCAA. While I have not been active in the NCAA itself, I certainly have been active in presidential associations, and I've certainly been involved in sports on my campus and in the conference."\nSome say Brand's outsider status was one of the reasons he was hired. Brand fired Coach Bob Knight and fought for tighter regulation of college sports.\nSoon after firing Knight, Brand called for reforms in college athletics, pitching his "academics first" initiative in a speech to the National Press Club.\nBrand's opinions on athletics gave some people the wrong idea, IU board of trustees president Frederick Eichhorn said.\n"He has been misinterpreted on the subject of athletics," Eichhorn said. "He is not anti-athletics, but he thinks that athletics needs to come more under the overall umbrella of the university and be part of the university community rather than an island unto itself."\nAnd that's a concept the NCAA embraces. In April, the NCAA board of directors adopted reforms aimed at curtailing the trend of student-athletes forgoing college or leaving school early for the pros.\nDave Frohnmayer, an NCAA Executive Committee member and president of the University of Oregon, said it's appropriate for an NCAA president to be an advocate of the academic world. \n"He has the knowledge of athletics and an impressive academic background," Frohnmayer said. "He's been a good administrator in a complex organization, and is recognized as a national leader."\nBrand said he believes academics can coexist with athletics.\n"The collegiate game must be distinguished from the pro game, which is good in its own right, but different," Brand said. "It's important to make sure to maintain the integrity of intercollegiate athletics, and most especially integrate intercollegiate athletes with the academic missions of colleges and universities."\nThe Associated Press contributed to this story.