Title IX 40 for 40: Mike Slive

Mike Slive has served as Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference since 2002. During Slive's tenure at the SEC, he has developed initiatives designed to maintain and improve the SEC’s position as one of the top intercollegiate athletic conferences in the nation, both on and off the fields of play. After graduating from Dartmouth in 1962, Slive worked in the athletic departments of, among others, his alma mater (Assistant Director of Athletics, 1968-69) and Cornell (Director of Athletics, 1981-83).

Who is someone you view as a pioneer in women's athletics and why?
Commissioner Slive: Pat Summitt became a great coach not only because of her success on the court but because she nurtured an entire sport.   Her interaction with fans and the ability to bring them inside the program made her an innovator and leader in women’s basketball.
 
What has Title IX done for women outside of the sports realm?
Commissioner Slive: I have always been an advocate of the values participation in sports build in young people.  Character principles such as hard work, dedication, team work and sacrifice are a large part of participating in sports.  If participation in sports is valuable for men then it is valuable for women.
 
What impact has Title IX had on you/college athletics?
Commissioner Slive: As the father of a daughter who competed in athletics, I have personally witnessed the values of athletic competition on a young woman.  This experience reinforces my commitment to the development of women’s athletics in my role as commissioner of the SEC, where we have won five national championships in this past academic year.

How did Title IX help to change the perception of women in athletics?
Commissioner Slive: We are now in an age where television showcases women's sporting events live and media outlets cover them regularly.  This exposure has helped people appreciate that women can be just as athletic as men and that competition in women's athletics can be at the same level as men's sports.