42 Facts About Mark Emmert

Mark Allen Emmert was born on December 16,1952 and Is the former president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association until March 1st, 2023.

Mark Emmert was the fifth CEO of the NCAA; he was named as the incoming president on April 27,2010, and assumed his duties on November 1,2010 and ending on March 1,2023.

Mark Emmert left Washington on October 1,2010, having announced his departure for the NCAA Presidency on April 27,2010.

Mark Emmert was born on December 16,1952, in Fife, Washington and attended Fife High School, graduating in 1971.

Mark Emmert studied at Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington before transferring in spring 1973 to the University of Washington, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1975.

Mark Emmert went on to earn a Master of Public Administration in 1976 and a PhD in 1983 from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University.

Mark Emmert had various academic administrative positions at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Mark Emmert was a Fellow of the American Council on Education.

Mark Emmert served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Montana State University from 1991 to 1995.

Mark Emmert worked with Congressional leaders to gain support for new agricultural research facilities on campus and distance learning programs.

The NCAA ruled that Montana State was guilty of a "lack of institutional control" in 1993, stemming from behavior that occurred before Mark Emmert arrived at MSU.

The ruling was reached at the time Mark Emmert belonged to the university's senior management team, along with Jim Isch, a former NCAA official.

The NCAA didn't rule on the case until after Mark Emmert left for UConn in 1995.

Mark Emmert had no involvement with the athletic programs in his role as provost and was unaware of the investigation, nor was he ever named or implicated in any wrongdoing.

Mark Emmert joined the University of Connecticut in 1995 as Provost and was later promoted to the position of chancellor for academic affairs, where he oversaw academic matters at the main campus in Storrs, as well as the regional campuses within the university system.

Mark Emmert led a strategic planning effort that produced a facilities master plan for the Storrs campus, transforming the facilities on the campus with new buildings for students, faculty and research.

Mark Emmert oversaw the first two years of a ten-year-long, $1 billion construction project, UConn 2000, that added many new academic buildings, residence halls and landscape projects to the Storrs campus, and new buildings and facilities to the regional campuses.

Mark Emmert led the creation of the "Flagship Agenda," an effort credited with moving the university significantly forward in its standing as an academic institution, an effort that is still credited with advancing the university in very significant ways.

On November 30,1999, Mark Emmert hired Nick Saban as football coach.

The graduation rate of the LSU football team, among the lowest in the SEC when Mark Emmert arrived, was among the highest by 2004.

In September 2016 Mark Emmert was honored by LSU as the first Haymon Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Ogden Honors College.

Mark Emmert was president of the University of Washington, his alma mater, from 2004 to 2010.

Mark Emmert led the creation of the Husky Promise, a guarantee that tuition and fees would be covered for lower-income students from Washington state who were accepted to UW, a program that has now supported tens of thousands of students at the UW.

Mark Emmert initiated an annual summit with the Native American tribal council leaders from throughout the State of Washington and the region to address educational and health concerns.

Mark Emmert led the process that culminated in the construction of a Native American House of Knowledge on campus.

Mark Emmert made the announcement during a campus visit by Zhou Wenzhong, ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United States.

Mark Emmert emphasized efforts to improve UW's environmental sustainability efforts throughout his tenure, leading to the university being recognized nationally as one of the most Eco-friendly campuses.

Mark Emmert was president at the University of Washington when the university announced it was discontinuing its varsity men's and women's swim programs.

Mark Emmert assumed his duties on November 1,2010, and will remain president until his retirement in February 2023.

Mark Emmert entered the NCAA presidency during a period of dramatic change and controversy in college athletics.

Mark Emmert has steadfastly advocated for greater support for student-athletes.

In 2014 the NCAA Division I member universities, with Mark Emmert's support, voted to change the system used to set their rules and policies so as to include greater input from athletic directors, faculty members, and senior women's athletics, and student athletes themselves, in addition to the university and college presidents who are ultimately responsible for all policy and governance decisions.

Mark Emmert was accused of using his access to the Penn State football program as a way of luring victims.

Mark Emmert is being sued for defamation by Graham Spanier, the former president of Penn State.

Mark Emmert was criticized over the Penn State case after internal emails surfaced revealing NCAA officials bluffed the university into accepting sanctions.

Mark Emmert is currently a Life Member of the Council of Foreign Relations and a fellow of the National Academy for Public Administration.

Mark Emmert is a former Fulbright Administrative Fellow, and a former Fellow of the American Council on Education.

Mark Emmert serves as a Director on the boards of Weyerhaeuser and Expeditors International.

Mark Emmert has been honored with several honorary degrees from American universities and colleges.

Mark Emmert was named President Emeritus by the University of Washington Board of Regents in 2010.

Mark Emmert holds honorary degrees from several colleges and universities.

Mark and DeLaine Emmert have been married for more than 40 years and have two adult children.