Dr. Tony Gaskew, UPB’s NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, is Professor of Criminal Justice, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences. He is co-chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and serves as a member of the Student Affairs Committee, and the Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He is a graduate of the Leadership Academy for Department Chairs, American Council on Education (ACE) and the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He is also a graduate of the prestigious NCAA FAR Fellows Institute. 

Under NCAA rules, Dr. Gaskew is recognized as the representative of the institution and its faculty in the relationship between the NCAA and UPB. He is one of only five individuals on campus authorized to represent the university to the NCAA, and who may cast the university’s vote on NCAA legislation. He also represents the university to the Alleghany Mountain College Conference (AMCC). Dr. Gaskew is also on the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee.  The 18-member committee is responsible for reviewing issues and promoting NCAA programs and policies related to student athletes, coaches and administrators who are ethnic minorities, LGBTQ or who have disabilities.

On campus, Dr. Gaskew serves as a critical communications link between the faculty and the Athletic Department—and vice versa.  He has the responsibility to inform the Athletic Department of faculty developments, to inform faculty of developments in athletics, and to actively participate in the development of UPB athletics policy. Further, Dr. Gaskew serves as the senior faculty advisor to the Office of the President in the area of athletics, and reports directly to President Alexander. Thus, the FAR provides advice to the Office of the President that reflects the values of the faculty—advice firmly grounded in the academic mission of the university—and in these ways, the FAR is the primary conduit for the faculty’s voice on UPB athletics.

As the FAR, Dr. Gaskew further plays a vital strategic and tactical role in overseeing the university’s institutional responsibilities in the NCAA’s three broad areas of academic integrity (including academic reform initiatives), institutional control, and student-athlete well-being. In particular, Dr. Gaskew works with the Registrar’s Office and the Director of Athletics to oversee the initial and continuing eligibility of UPB’s student-athletes, to ensure UPB’s compliance with all NCAA and AMCC rules, and assists with inquiries into NCAA rules violations.

As the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, Dr. Gaskew serves as the primary connection between UPB faculty and UPB Athletics, and as one of the primary contact persons for UPB student-athletes. Feel free to contact him at tog6@pitt.edu or 362-7636.

Other web resources about FARs:

NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative Handbook 

Faculty Athletics Representative Association