News Article

Gonzaga University Athletics Director Mike Roth will discuss “Bigger Athletics Mean Bigger Business: Delight or Dilemma” at a Dean’s Business Forum breakfast from 7:30-8:30 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 5, in the Wolff Auditorium of the Jepson Center. Cost of the program is $12.50 per person and includes breakfast, which begins at 7 a.m. The lecture, which is open to the public, is presented by GU School of Business Administration Dean Clarence H. Barnes and the Dean’s Forum Board.

The adage that success breeds success is true both in business and college athletics, as evidenced by the Gonzaga men’s basketball program. Gonzaga has witnessed how the success of its high-profile hoops program has extended well beyond the athletic department. The Zags’ on-court prowess has brought considerable exposure for the University and has raised expectations for the program.

Roth will discuss both the positives and negatives of the Zags’ rise in the world of college basketball, mindful that such issues must be addressed properly to ensure the continued health and vitality of the University and its athletics programs.

Roth has been Gonzaga’s athletics director since 1997. Since he took the position, the men’s basketball team has flourished into one of the nation’s elite programs; women’s basketball captured its first West Coast Conference tournament title and berth into the NCAA Tournament (last season); and GU soccer, rowing and baseball programs have thrived as well, receiving national rankings. Since Roth became Gonzaga’s athletic director, GU’s student-athletes have averaged a 3.0 grade-point average consistently, with 1,500 student-athletes being named to the President’s and Dean’s lists in the past nine years.

To attend the lecture, please RSVP by Monday, Dec. 3, to the Dean’s Business Forum Web site or by calling the dean's office at (509) 323-5502. To receive e-mail notifications about the Forum’s events, register at the organization’s Web site.

For more information, contact Dorothy Greenamyer at (509) 323-5991 or via e-mail.