BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 2 (UPI) -- Mike Slive, the only commissioner that Conference USA has ever had, Tuesday was named to a similar post in the Southeastern Conference.
Slive replaces Roy Kramer, one of the most powerful figures in college sports, who announced his retirement after 12 years on the job.
Slive, who chairs the NCAA's Infractions Appeal Committee, inherits a conference under intense scrutiny.
Two SEC football programs, Alabama and Kentucky, are on probation, and several other schools could face sanctions pending the outcome of investigations.
Slive, the commissioner of Conference USA since 1995, is an attorney who once operated a firm that helped schools deal with penalties imposed by the NCAA.
"We're delighted to have Mike Slive join the Southeastern Conference and serve as its commissioner," said Dr. John White, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas and President of the SEC. "We think that Mike will build on the success that the SEC enjoyed under Roy Kramer. Mike is familiar with the league and he has been active on NCAA committees. He will bring the same level of commitment to excellence that Commissioner Kramer has done the past 12 years. We're excited about what Mike will be able to do working with the presidents and chancellors, athletics directors and coaches of the SEC in the league's continuing efforts to be the premier athletic conference in the nation."
Slive, 61, and a University of Virginia law school graduate, was selected by the chief executive officers of the 12 Southeastern Conference institutions. He is scheduled to begin his duties as SEC Commissioner on Aug. 1, 2002.
"It is an honor and privilege to be selected as the seventh Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, the finest athletic conference in the country," said Slive. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the presidents and chancellors, athletics directors and coaches to build on the conferences' past successes to meet the challenges of the future and to continue the conferences' winning traditions both on the field and in the classroom."
Slive has served on various NCAA boards and committees. Presently, he is the chair of the first NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee and the National Letter of Intent Appeals Committee. He is also chair of the Board of Directors of NCAA Football USA and is the President of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA). Last month, he was named to the Executive Committee of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), and also serves on the Board of Advisors of the Marquette Sports Law Institute.
Slive was also on the NCAA Management Council from 1997-2002, serving on the Membership Subcommittee and the Subcommittee to Review Automatic Qualification.
His leadership has translated into valuable national television exposure for Conference USA with television partner ESPN Inc., as well as appearances on ABC and CBS. C-USA also developed a syndicated television network for women's and Olympic sports.
The league's championship competition is enhanced by NCAA automatic bids in volleyball, men's and women's soccer, baseball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's basketball.
In football, along with being a member of the BCS, C-USA sends its regular season champion to the AXA Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., and teams to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the Houston (Texas) Bowl, the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu and the New Orleans (La.) Bowl.
While his tenure with the SEC has been a lucrative one for the conference, Kramer may best be remembered for devising the Bowl Championship Series for college football.
Kramer had been SEC commissioner since 1990, helping the league's exposure by negotiating multi-million dollar broadcast deals with CBS, ESPN and Jefferson Pilot.
During his stint, the league also has added Arkansas and South Carolina, and instituted a conference championship game for football.
