JONESBORO — Arkansas State University Chancellor Kelly Damphousse has been appointed to the NCAA Board of Governors. The highly prestigious appointment to the primary governing body of the NCAA comes at a time of significant reform and potential change for the national association.
“I am humbled to be selected to serve as a member of the NCAA Board of Governors, and I am very grateful for the trust placed in me by the Board of Directors to represent them,” Damphousse said. “These are challenging days for the NCAA and for intercollegiate athletics. We have a wide range of issues before us starting with historic constitutional reform proposals that aim to strengthen the structure and operations of the NCAA. It is an honor to serve alongside esteemed colleagues from around the country at this momentous time.”
A current member of the NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors, Damphousse will represent that organization to the overall Board of Governors. His appointment begins January 1, 2022, and he is slated to serve through August 15, 2025. Damphousse is the first chancellor in A-State history to be selected to the leadership council of the NCAA.
“This is an important and well-deserved appointment for Kelly,” said Dr. Chuck Welch, who has also been in a national higher education leadership role recently as Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. “His being at the forefront of major issues facing higher education will serve Arkansas State University and the ASU System well. I’m proud of his leadership and appreciate the NCAA board for recognizing and using his broad experience in collegiate athletics and administration.”
The 20-member Board of Governors acts on behalf of the entire organization, which encompasses all three divisions of the NCAA. Damphousse will be one of 12 campus CEOs from the Division I Board of Directors who sit on the NCAA’s highest council. Among the responsibilities and duties of the Board of Governors are oversight and final approval of the association-wide budget and providing strategic planning for the association. The Board of Governors also recruit, appoint, support and evaluate the NCAA president.
As the current President of the Sun Belt Conference, Damphousse was an influential partner with league commissioner Keith Gill and other members of the SBC Executive Board in successfully navigating the 2021 conference realignment environment.
“Chancellor Damphousse is a terrific addition to the NCAA Board of Governors,” Commissioner Gill said. “His student-centered and calm approach will be very helpful as the NCAA works to determine the best path forward. As president of the Sun Belt he has led our conference through some very important issues and those skills will be useful for the NCAA. We are extremely grateful to Dr. Damphousse for his commitment to and leadership of the Sun Belt and the NCAA.”
Prior to his unanimous election to lead the SBC, he served two years as the league’s vice president. Damphousse brings a strong background of academic leadership in intercollegiate athletics to this latest appointment, having served for five years as the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative while at the University of Oklahoma.
