REINVENTING THE NCAA: A CONVERSATION WITH FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVE JO POTUTO

In this episode of SCI TV, we explore the theme of Reinventing the NCAA with the University of Nebraska’s Josephine Potuto. She discusses issues and perspectives regarding reinventing the NCAA, and improvements to the system to make it a more enriching and consistently positive experience for student-athletes.

About Jo Potuto

Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto has been Nebraska’s faculty representative (FAR) at the NCAA and conference level since May 15, 1997.

In 2002, Potuto was named Outstanding Faculty Athletics Representative by the All-American Football Foundation. From 2008-09 to 2011-12 she was president of the 1A FAR (FARs from FBS institutions). Among her NCAA positions, Potuto spent nine years (the maximum) on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (chair her last two years) and currently substitutes when a member cannot serve. She was one of three Big 12 Conference representatives on the NCAA Division I Management Council, served on the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championship Committee, and currently serves on an NCAA-wide (all divisions) committee to advise NCAA staff on student-athlete issues and educational programming for coaches, staff, and student-athletes.

A sports law expert, Potuto regularly lectures and consults on sports issues in general and NCAA processes in particular. She is an expert witness in litigation involving sports issues. She testified before the House Subcommittee on the Constitution regarding due process in NCAA infractions hearings.

Potuto earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Rutgers’ Douglass College, and her master’s degree in English literature at Seton Hall. She earned her juris doctorate at the Rutgers Law College.