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Elwood Gordon Gee is the current chancellor of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as a professor of law at the university's law school. Prior to his appointment on February 7, 2000, Gee was president of Brown University from 1998-2000, Ohio State University from 1990-1998, the University of Colorado at Boulder from 1985-1990 and West Virginia University from 1981-1985.
Gee graduated from the University of Utah in 1968 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. He went on to earn degrees in law (J.D.) and education (Ed.D.) from Columbia University in 1971 and 1972, respectively, specializing in education law. Gee has authored or co-authored many texts and papers and is considered a nationally renowned expert in the subject.
Gee made national headlines recently with his bold policies regarding college athletics. In September 2003, Gee eliminated the organized athletic department at Vanderbilt and consolidated its activities under the general university administration. Many in the college athletic community found this radical change to the status quo alarming and dimissed the move as desparation on the part of Gee to fix a financially-ailing athletic department. Furthermore, many saw this as the beginning of the process of de-emphasizing athletics at Vanderbilt, possibly culminating in the withdrawl of Vanderbilt from the Southeastern Conference. However, a stellar spring for Vanderbilt athletic teams and a Top 30-finish in National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Director's Cup ranking of college athletic programs ultimately vindicated Vanderbilt and Gee.
Born on February 2, 1944, in Vernal, Utah, to a Mormon school teacher and an oil company employee, Gee is married to the former Constance Bumgarner, an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Education at Peabody College, a part of Vanderbilt University. He was previously married to the late Elizabeth Gee, with whom he had one daughter, Rebekah.
External Link
Vanderbilt University: Office of the Chancellor (http://www.vanderbilt.edu/chancellor/)
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