I know I can say without fear of contradiction that Syracuse University has one of the finest intercollegiate athletic traditions in the nation. There have been numerous triumphs through the years, particularly during the Tolley and Eggers years and, I’m proud to say, during my tenure as well.

During this time, the climate for intercollegiate athletics has changed appreciably. Television coverage of college sports and fan interest have increased greatly, both here and across the country. The mix of athletic programs has also changed. In addition to the higher revenue sports of football and men’s basketball, we now have a greater number of women’s sports. SU has been proud to add women’s soccer, lacrosse, and softball in an ongoing effort to achieve gender equity across the athletic spectrum.

Another change here and elsewhere has been far greater attention to student-athletes’ graduation rates. Again, SU is a leader in this arena: Our student-athletes have a higher graduation rate than does our student body as a whole. And our football program has one of the best graduation rates in the country.

During the last several months our athletic program has faced a new set of challenges. Changes brought about by invitations from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to three former Big East schools have required us to reassess and reconfigure our conference.

The Big East, under the leadership of SU Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel, emerged as a true national force in athletics. With the addition in 2005-06 of Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida as new partners in all sports, and DePaul and Marquette as new members in all sports except football, the Big East will be as powerful as ever. In fact, I am convinced that the Big East will have the strongest basketball conference in the country and one of the best in football.

I also know we will weather this passage in our athletic program and will look back with pride on the way we acquitted ourselves. The tradition of superior athletics at SU will continue.

Kenneth A. Shaw
Chancellor and President