People news: Hartwick College president named to NCAA Div. III Presidents Council

ONEONTA, N.Y. — Hartwick College President Margaret Drugovich will serve on the Division III Presidents Council of the NCAA.

Drugovich begins her four-year term “immediately,” Hartwick College said in a news release issued Tuesday.

The Presidents Council is Division III college athletics’ highest governing body.

The election was held last weekend at the NCAA national convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Drugovich represents NCAA Region 2, which covers Pennsylvania and New York, and her 2016 committee assignment is the strategic planning and finance committee.

“I am honored to be selected to represent the Empire 8 [conference] and all the colleges and universities in the region to the NCAA,” said Drugovich. “As an institution with both Division I and Division III athletic programs, Hartwick is well qualified to represent, on a national level, the highest standards for both academic and athletic achievement. I look forward to bringing our experience to the Council and helping the NCAA further achieve its goals for the division.”

Division III has 450 member colleges and universities.

The 18 Presidents Council members are elected in balloting open to all presidents and chancellors at member institutions, according to Hartwick College.

The Presidents Council sets Division III’s strategic plan and establishes and directs the division’s general policy.

Of its 17 athletic teams, Hartwick has 15 that compete in the Empire 8 Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III. Its men’s soccer team and women’s water polo team each compete in Division 1.

Drugovich is the current chair of the Empire 8 Presidents Council.

Drugovich last August was appointed to the 15-member Chancellors/Presidents advisory group of the NCAA Division III. Her election to the Presidents Council supplants her advisory group service, Hartwick said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com