Cindy Harris

Position: Senior Assoc. Ath. Dir./Compliance & Student Services Alma Mater: Illinois State `84

Former Redbird volleyball star Cindy Harris is in her 14th year at her alma mater. Harris' responsibilities include the daily oversight and function of the athletics department's NCAA compliance efforts, including review of all eligibility and financial aid matters for 19 sports and approximately 470 student-athletes. Harris is also responsible for many of the athletic department student services initiatives including housing, dining, fifth year aid program, exit interview protocols and processing, and oversight of the NCAA Student Assistant Fund. She serves as the athletic department primary liaison to several campus units including the Admissions, Financial Aid, University Registrar, University College Advising Unit, Housing-Dining, and Student Accounts. Finally, Harris plays a leadership role for the university in the areas of NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR), not only in compiling data and preparing appropriate records, but also in projecting future rates and improvement strategies with coaches, sport administrators, and the athletic department's academic support staff.

She formerly served as a liaison to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee and served a four-year stint on the NCAA Division I Progress Toward Degree Waivers Committee. Currently she is on two NCAA advisory committees. Before returning to ISU, Harris was an associate commissioner for the Mid-Continent Conference, where, in addition to serving in the capacity of Senior Woman Administrator for the 10-member league, she oversaw the conference NCAA compliance program, served as the liaison to all sport committees, and coordinated the league's championship events.

A successful college volleyball coach, Harris served as an assistant at both University of Utah and Penn State before moving on to the head coaching position at Valparaiso University, where she was named the Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year in 1991.

Harris is a 1984 graduate of Illinois State and received her master's degree from the University of Utah. A native of Buffalo, Ill., Harris has a 15-year-old son, Neil.