AA names new academic services director

Phyllis LaBaw will step into the role of Associate Director of Athletics for Academic Services, according to an announcement by Director of Athletics Dave Braine Monday.

LaBaw was recruited among a pool of possible choices to fill the position, which was left vacant when Jim Stevens left his position Feb. 1. Braine said in an interview with Technique last month that he wanted someone with experience in student-athletes ' academic performance to fill the position.

LaBaw, who currently serves as the University of South Florida ' s Associate Athletic Director for Academic Support and Student-Athlete Development, said she will start her job at Tech before fall semester.

She joins a program that suffered from 11 player ineligibilities announced in summer 2003 in addition to NCAA violations Tech self-reported last fall. The violations involved 17 Tech players between 2000 and 2003 who were incorrectly declared eligible and allowed to play. Two of the student-athletes were still playing at the time of the report.

LaBaw said she plans to emphasize being communicative with everyone involved in a student-athlete ' s academic performance: coaches, staff members and the students themselves. " I ' m really an advocate of communication and documentation, and making it an open book on where the students stand, " she said.

She added that she is looking forward to working with the students and staff at Tech, and to taking Academic Services in the direction it needs to go. " I am a huge proponent of relationship-building, " she said. " I ' ll enjoy spending time with the academic staff and I ' m going to have some learning to do, also. I ' m willing to work with them and see what they ' d like to have change in the future. "

" There are so many resources [at Tech] that we want to take advantage of, " she added.

LaBaw also plans to use her expertise and personal experience in the new position.

" I have a pretty solid academic support program in place here [at USF], " she said, " and I ' m going to bring some of what has been successful here to Tech. "

" I am definitely awaiting this opportunity, " LaBaw said. " I really consider it an honor. "