SIU Senior Associate AD, Kathy Jones, will retire

CARBONDALE - Saluki Athletics announced today that longtime Senior Associate Athletic Director Kathy Jones will retire at the end of December.

Southern Illinois alum, Jones has served as the department's Senior Woman Administrator since 2000. Among her many responsibilities, she has served as a mentor to coaches, staff and student-athletes, and spearheaded the department's student-athlete well-being efforts. For most of her career, she oversaw compliance and student services units, including academic advising, the athletic training area and the strength and conditioning program in addition to supervising a number of sports. Jones also headed up departmental efforts on diversity and gender-equity issues.

Jones has made an impact across a range of issues and initiatives. She was the Co-Coordinator of SalukiCHOICES program that aims to reduce the harm of alcohol abuse on campus. SIU received a three-year NCAA CHOICES grant in 2015. Jones also led the planning for the 2009 Celebrating Women's Athletics event, recognizing SIU female student-athletes and coaches who competed prior to 1984. She served as campus liaison, chief report writer and coordinator for SIU's 2007 NCAA Division I Athletics Certification Self-Study process.

"Kathy has served under three different athletic directors and has provided invaluable leadership, guidance and direction on a range of important issues," said Director of Athletics Tommy Bell. "Throughout her career, she has been a champion for student-athlete welfare. Her energy, enthusiasm, compassion and wisdom will be missed."

Among the many coaches she has impacted during her career at SIU is Connie Price-Smith, a Saluki Hall of Famer who built the Track & Field program into a national powerhouse during the past decade.

"I can't thank Kathy enough for all of the support she gave me and my team during my time as a coach at SIU," said Price-Smith. "I am sure she will be missed by the department and the University, but I think she served them well. I wish her nothing but the best in the next chapter of her life."

Jones has been an active member of the campus community, serving on a variety of committees and panels, including being elected to the Administrative/Professional (A/P) Staff Council for six years. She served as the Council's Chair for three years and spearheaded changes to the Council Operating Paper that expanded representation of constituency members. . Jones was an active member of the steering committee that organized the inaugural "The Big Event" day of community service on the SIU campus in April, 2017.

She has been involved for many years with campus-wide efforts to prevent sexual violence (Culture of Respect Committee, Sexual Assault Response Committee, Chancellor/Mayoral Sexual Assault Response Task Force). She served as a member of the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee (2015) and Athletic Director Search Advisory Committee (2006).

She has also taught courses as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology (2012) and the SIU School of Law (2002). Jones received the SIU University Women's Professional Advancement (UWPA) Mentorship Award in 2015.

"I've always thought it important for folks in Athletics to be actively involved in campus matters because those issues affect our student-athletes and staff and because Athletics needs to be a good partner in the campus community, " Jones said. "It has been my honor to serve both SIU and Saluki Athletics in that capacity during my career here."

In addition to her campus involvement, Jones has been a voice for the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) at the national level, representing the conference on the NCAA Leadership Council for three years (2008-11) and the NCAA Management Council for three years (2005-08).

"Kathy has been an important part of the athletics leadership both at SIU and in the Missouri Valley Conference," said Doug Elgin, Commissioner of the MVC. "Her focus has been on improving the experience of Saluki student-athletes and helping provide SIU athletic programs with the resources and opportunities to be competitive. She has been a strong advocate, especially for women's athletics, and we salute her as she prepares to retire."

During her tenure as an athletic administrator in the MVC, Jones served on a number of Conference standing committees including the Sports Management Committee, Equity & Diversity, Long-Range Planning, and Legislative Review.

"With Kathy Jones' retirement, I'm hard-pressed to imagine MVC meetings without the benefit of Kathy's wisdom, experience, attention to detail, and unfailing sense of fairness," said Patty Viverito, Senior Associate Commissioner of the MVC. "She's been a special role model, mentor and friend – especially to the MVC senior woman administrators – throughout her many years of service to the Conference."

Before coming to SIU, Jones spent 10 years as an attorney whose practice focused on NCAA compliance and infractions matters. Her background also includes a nine-year stay at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she served as compliance coordinator after a stint as an athletic academic counselor.

"After nearly 18 years in Saluki Athletics, it's time for me to explore the next chapter in my life," Jones said. "It's been my pleasure to serve this University in making sure the experience we offer student-athletes is life-enriching and that we continue to strive to do the 'right thing' In how the athletics enterprise works. There is always more work to do, but I'm looking forward to getting some rest, traveling, spending time with my family and figuring out what is next for me. It's always been important to me to make a difference. I hope I have made a difference at SIU and wish everyone in the Saluki Family all the best."