Texas A&M's Huge Named to Southeastern Conference Committee

COLLEGE STATION-- Samantha Huge (pronounced HU-gee), Texas A&M Senior Associate Director of athletics/Senior Woman Administrator, has been appointed by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey along with eight other SEC administrators to a working group to review and discuss issues concerning compliance with NCAA regulations and effective operation within the NCAA governance process.
 
"This working group will work to renew and strengthen the commitment the Conference membership made more than 12 years ago to a culture of compliance in the SEC," Sankey said. "These campus leaders will review and update the principles which formed the foundation of that commitment and establish effective procedures for the SEC's participation in the new NCAA governance structure."
 
The chair of the working group is Jere W. Morehead, President of the University of Georgia. Other members include: Dr. Stuart R. Bell, President, University of Alabama; Mitch Barnhart, Director of Athletics, University of Kentucky; Ray Tanner, Director of Athletics, University of South Carolina; Dr. Michael Sagas, Faculty Athletics Representative, University of Florida; Ron Rychlak, Faculty Athletics Representative, University of Mississippi; Rich McGlynn, Executive Associate Athletics  Director (Compliance), Auburn University; Jon Fagg, Senior Associate Athletics Director (Compliance), University of Arkansas along with Huge from Texas A&M University.
 
The group will review the updated enforcement model, which is expected to include dialogue with the NCAA Vice President for Enforcement; establish best practices for enforcement within the SEC; and update minimum penalties established by the Conference for certain Level III and Level IV rules violations.
 
In addition, the group will develop strategies intended to enhance the Conference legislative process, including development of a proactive legislative agenda to be advanced by the SEC. The group will analyze the new NCAA governance structure and its implications for the SEC, with the purpose of developing meeting schedules, committee participation, policy development and effective communication strategies.
 
The group will also seek to improve interaction among the Autonomy conferences as part of the NCAA legislative and governance process and address other related issues as determined by the working group.
 
Updates will be provided to key SEC leadership groups at regular intervals, with an initial report submitted for review and discussion by the SEC membership in the spring of 2016 with the working group expected to conclude its work prior to the SEC's Spring Meetings in 2017.
 
Huge is a member of the senior management team that provides leadership and management to all of Texas A&M Athletics. She directs the department's policy development and implementation as well as leading its equity and inclusion initiatives, while collaborating with the University as a member of Texas A&M's Diversity Leadership Group. Her responsibilities include oversight of six sports programs including women's basketball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's swimming and diving, and volleyball. She also has supervision of sports performance and is the department's primary liaison to the 12^th Man Foundation's major gifts staff and the 1922 Fund.
 
Huge has participated on numerous national committees, including the NCAA Women's Basketball Issues Committee in which she served as Chair of the Marketing Subcommittee.  She has held appointments on the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance, acting as Chair of the Subcommittee on Data Collection and Reporting; and has served a term on the NCAA Amateurism Clearinghouse Advisory Group.  Additionally, Huge has been an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), graduating from the NACWAA Executive Institute in 2013 and participating as a presenter at the national convention in 2013 and 2014.