NCAA picks 23-member committee to reform its constitution

The NCAA announced a 23-member committee Tuesday that will work on reforming its constitution, a panel that includes university presidents, college sports administrators and athletes across all three divisions.

The panel was announced less than two weeks after the NCAA’s Board of Governors called for a constitutional convention to reform the way sports are governed by an organization with more than 1,100 member schools and some 450,000 athletes.

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is an independent member of the NCAA Board of Governors, was appointed the chairman. Among the other members are Penn State University athletic director Sandy Barbour, West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, Tulane athletic director Troy Dannen and Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips.

Former and current athletes include Kendall Spencer, a long jumper who went to New Mexico; Megan Koch, a middle distance runner from Colorado College; and Madeleine McKenna, a volleyball player from California University of Pennsylvania.

The NCAA said the committee will begin its work immediately and is expected to submit a draft proposal of recommendations for membership feedback in November. The constitutional convention is expected to convene no later than Nov. 15.