INDIANAPOLIS---For the first time, faculty athletics representatives (FAR) fill the top two seats on the NCAA Division III Management Council.

Michael Miranda, FAR at Plattsburgh State University of New York, became chair and Sandra Slabik, FAR at Neumann College became vice chair during the council’s post-convention meeting in January in Grapevine, Texas.

Miranda succeeds Suzanne R. Coffey, director of athletics at Bates College, whose term on the council ended at the conclusion of the convention. Slabik succeeds Miranda.

Miranda is librarian at the Feinberg Library at Plattsburgh State.  He earned a master of library science degree in 1981 at the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor of arts in English in 1979 at North Adams State College.  He has served as librarian at Plattsburgh State since 1983 and was assistant librarian at South Vermont College from 1982-1983.

His NCAA service includes chair of the Division III Strategic Planning Committee; Administrative Committee; Budget Committee; Future of Division III Oversight Committee and Convention Planning Subcommittee.  Service on association-wide committees includes chair of the Research Committee; Data Analysis Research Network; Research Review Board; and Strategic Planning Task Force.  Additional NCAA service concurrent with term as Division III Management Council chair includes Executive Committee; Marketing Committee; Championships Committee and Playing and Practice Subcommittee.

Miranda’s campus service includes the Intercollegiate Athletics Board (1992-present); Cardinal Booster Club Board of Directors (1994-present); Faculty Advisor, Men for Violence Prevention (anti-violence in relationships group, 2003-present); Enrollment Management Council (2002-present).

Slabik earned a bachelor of science degree in health and physical education from West Chester University in 1969; a master of education in health and physical education from West Chester University in 1979 and a doctorate of education in sports administration from Temple University in 1994.

She has been coordinator and instructor of sport management programs at Neumann College since 1997; was athletic director and department chair in physical education at Alvernia College 1987-1997; served as an instructor, department chair and coach at Central Catholic High School in Reading, Pa., 1977-1987; and was faculty member in the Reading School District 1973-1974.  She has also coached various field hockey and softball teams.

Her NCAA service includes 2005 chair of the Division III Strategic Planning Committee; member of the Division III Budget Committee, Convention Planning Subcommittee; Division III Administrative Committee; chair, Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee; National Faculty Athletic Representative Association (FARA) Executive Committee; Olympic Liaison Committee; Administrative Review Subcommittee; Division III Interpretations and Legislative Committee.

The end of the Convention also marked the end of terms for six other Management Council members: Steve Argo, commissioner of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference; Sarah Forbus, a Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative from Denison University; John Harper, director of athletics at Bridgewater State College; Karen Johnson, director of institutional research at Alfred University; Leon Lunder, director of athletics at Carleton College; and Connee Zotos, director of athletics at Drew University.

Convention also marked the end of terms for Coffey and Miranda on the Presidents Council.

The Division III membership elected six successors during its business session to join new SAAC representative Heather Mathis of Maryville College (Tennessee) on the council. The elected members are Patricia Epps, senior associate director of athletics at Franklin & Marshall College; Tim Gleason, commissioner of the Ohio Athletic Conference; Kevin McHugh, director of athletics at The College of New Jersey; Rosalie Resch, associate director of athletics at the University of Chicago; Kay Whitley, director of athletics at Sul Ross State University; and Charles Wilson, faculty athletics representative at Olivet College.

Elected to the Division III Presidents Council during the business session were Richard Flynn, president of Springfield College and James G. Moseley, president of Franklin College.