SEC Launches Academic Network to Promote All 12 Institutions

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas joins with the 11 other Southeastern Conference universities today to launch the SEC Academic Network, a Website designed to promote academic endeavors of SEC universities that is being established by the SEC in partnership with ESPN and the member universities.

The SEC Academic Network is a component of the conference’s 15-year television package with ESPN, which is the most comprehensive in the history of intercollegiate athletics. The Website can be found online at http://www.secacademicnetwork.com.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the University of Arkansas, as it is for all of the SEC institutions,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “It provides us with a national online forum to put a spotlight on the quality of the academic work done here in Arkansas, and at all the universities in the SEC. This conference has a well-deserved reputation for athletic excellence and academic excellence and we are very proud of our significant accomplishments on the field of play and off.”

 “The SEC Academic Network recognizes the link between academics and athletics at the University of Arkansas, and throughout the SEC,” said Jeff Long, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “I’m pleased that ESPN and the SEC contract are facilitating this network. The education our student-athletes receive is important to them, and is an important factor in their decision to choose a school. A network that promotes the serious academic work being done at this university is an important recruiting tool for our coaches.”

The Academic Network, developed using technology and coordination from ESPN Digital Media and Origin Digital, will feature content from every SEC institution covering topics focusing on research, innovation, economic development, community partnerships, civic engagement and service.

 “The commitment to highlight the accomplishments of SEC member institution academic programs was a key component of our new television agreements,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “We are grateful to ESPN for bringing the expertise and tools they use in sports media to our institutions in support of academic pursuits.” “This network will provide our 12 institutions with the ability to create and distribute academic and other non athletic programming throughout the world on a regular and full time basis,” said Slive.

Each institution has its own presence on the SEC Academic Network site.  Alumni, fans and students worldwide now have one place they can go to learn more about SEC academics through video features posted by the league institutions.

“The University of Arkansas has long been producing videos on people, innovation and discovery for our varied audiences, and we’re anxious to bring those engaging newscasts to the much broader, worldwide audience provided by ESPN,” said Tysen Kendig, associate vice chancellor for university relations. “We’ve enjoyed tremendous collaboration with our peers throughout the Southeastern Conference in leading the development of this initiative, and believe it will help us tremendously in our collective efforts to establish an academic brand for the SEC and our world-class universities.”

ESPN’s commitment to SEC academic programs goes beyond the network as well. ESPN will produce an annual Campus Connection telecast at each SEC institution, in which students take part in the production, as well as telecasts of two programs annually dedicated to the academic accomplishments of SEC student-athletes. It also will produce a weekly academic feature segment on ESPNU’s SEC show. A final component involves the selection of one undergraduate student from each SEC institution to participate in ESPN’s summer internship program.