By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech University President Dr. Philip Oldham will serve as the Ohio Valley Conference's Chair of the Board of Presidents for 2020-21 as announced by the league following the conclusion of its annual spring meetings.
The chair presides over meetings of the Conference Board of Presidents, which makes final decisions on league matters. This year's spring meetings were held virtually for the first time in league history.
Oldham will step into the leadership role as the league continues to navigate the changing landscape of the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During its meetings, the OVC Board of Presidents unanimously adopted a statement on its intention to compete in intercollegiate athletics this coming academic year. The statement reads:
"The Ohio Valley Conference has the intention to compete in intercollegiate athletics this fall while being committed to providing safe environments for our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans in which to engage. The OVC is aware of the unpredictable and fluid nature of this pandemic and will respond accordingly."
As part of the annual budget process, the Council and Board identified a series of financial efficiencies but given the evolving nature of the issues surrounding the pandemic, determined to continue evaluating the Conference's financial strategies over the next month to ensure they appropriately address the situation. Accordingly, any potential impacts to 2020-21 OVC Championships will be announced at a later date.
Oldham was named Tennessee Tech's ninth president on July 1, 2012. He previously served as provost and senior vice chancellor of academic affairs at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Freed-Hardeman University and his doctorate in analytical chemistry from Texas A&M University. He spent a year following his graduate work as a Wellcome Research Fellow at Burroughs Wellcome Co. (Glaxo Smith-Kline) before joining the faculty at Mississippi State University. Oldham served as head of Mississippi State University's chemistry department for five years prior to becoming dean of MSU's College of Arts and Sciences.
Oldham additionally serves on the NCAA Presidential Forum for Division I athletics, the Tennessee Valley Corridor Board of Directors, and the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce board.
He has served on a number of scholarly editorial boards and as a peer reviewer for both the NSF and National Institutes of Health.
Tech Director of Athletics Mark Wilson recently completed his role as the league's Chair of the Council of Directors of Athletics for the 2019-20 term.
Photo by Tennessee Tech