Trustees and Presidents: A Podcast for University Leaders On College Athletics

Hosted by Karen Weaver, EdD, she interviews key leaders, stakeholders and those impacting the business of college sports and higher education. From Division I to Divisions II and III, senior campus leaders now have a chance to learn about the challenges nearly every institution is facing post-pandemic. Today, athletics plays an even more crucial role in enrollment, retention, alumni donations, campus spirit, housing and dining, and marketing Pre-order Karen Weaver's new book NOW: "Understanding College Athletics" https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/33296/understanding-college-athletics

Trustees and Presidents: A Podcast for University Leaders On College Athletics is a commentary podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 208 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Trustees and Presidents: A Podcast for University Leaders On College Athletics, a commentary show with 208 episodes published.

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  Episode #3

  Surprise! There's A Campus-Wide Gambling Crisis You May Not Know About

  Aug 14, 202641 minS7

  Sports betting has moved from casinos to every student's phone — and campuses aren't ready. Karen Weaver i s joined by Dr. Jim Borchers (U.S. Council for Athletes' Health, Big Ten), Dr. Lindsey Mortenson (University of Michigan), and Sara Custer (Inside Higher Ed) to unpack what Borchers calls the largest mental health epidemic facing 18-to-24-year-old men. They discuss why health centers screen for alcohol and depression but not gambling, how prediction markets recruit inside fraternities, the harassment athletes face from losing bettors, and whether universities can warn students while taking sportsbook money.

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  Episode #1

  Cinderella Doesn't Make the Bracket: Inside the Fight Over the House Cap

  Aug 2, 202635 minS7

  March Madness runs on upsets — the 16-seed, the mid-major, the coach nobody could name until Sunday night. Now the House settlement's pay cap is under pressure to climb, and the schools that make Cinderella possible weren't in the room where it's being negotiated. Dayton President Eric Spina and Saint Mary’s President Roger Thompson wrote the op-ed saying so. Why they believe the mid-majors are footing the bills for college football while their voting power shrinks. Op-ed from Presidents Spina and Thompson: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cinderella-may-soon-casualty-college-090646622.html

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  Episode #44

  Capitol Hill vs. the Wild, Wild West of College Athletics-Gordon Gee's Take on the PCSA

  Jul 29, 202638 minS6

  College sports hits a Congressional crossroad. Five-time university president Gordon Gee joins Karen Weaver to break down the Protect College Sports Act, the Cantwell-Cruz bill racing toward Big Ten and SEC sign-off. Gee calls it "the last, best hope" for reining in runaway spending, delivering antitrust protections, and saving Olympic and women's sports from football's revenue grab—before Washington's involvement becomes the only thing standing between college athletics and total collapse.

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  Episode #44

  When Winning Costs Too Much: A Hard Look at College Sports Spending

  Jul 29, 202634 minS6

  “When the guy in charge of bench presses makes more than the university president, 10 times an average faculty salary, and absorbs the average cost of attendance for 60 students , it might be time to pause and reflect a little on where this is all going.” Economist and Dean Emeritus of Purdue's Daniel School of Business, David Hummels, joins Karen Weaver to dissect the runaway spending in college athletics — from million-dollar strength coaches to ballooning student subsidies. Drawing on his research (and his Substack, Finding Equilibrium), Hummels argues universities have stopped asking whether athletics spending actually advances their mission. He challenges leaders to weigh subsidy costs against institutional value, and makes the case for reinvesting in broader student experience — intramurals, arts, community — rather than chasing prestige on the field.

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  Episode #43

  From Deficits to Dream Economy: Leading Edward Waters University

  Jul 18, 202637 minS6

  Dr. Zachary Faison, president of Edward Waters University, joins Karen Weaver to unpack his "Dream Economy" model—a mission-aligned alternative to the Power Four athletics framework. They explore how presidential leadership, financial discipline, and strategic athletics investment drive enrollment and retention at HBCUs and small private colleges, turning championship seasons and national TV exposure into surging applications, new revenue, and expanded academic programs. #DreamEconomy #HBCU #EducationTransformation #StudentSuccess #HigherEd

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