POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – In our celebration of National Women's History Month, the impact of the Senior Woman Administrator is an essential component to every Athletics Department.
 
The Senior Woman Administrator, commonly referred to as SWA, is the highest-ranking female in an athletics department. The SWA can fill any job in a department, whether it is compliance, facilities, business manager, academics, and/or sport supervision. Additionally, the SWA should serve on the department's senior management team, be involved in key decisions within the department, and serve as a role model and resource for student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. If a commissioner or director of athletics is female, she can designate another female on staff to serve as SWA.
 
Misconceptions have occurred over time with the SWA title; it is indeed Senior Woman Administrator, and not Senior Women's Administrator. The role refers to the designation of an individual in a leadership position. The SWA provides leadership to both men's and women's sports and issues that surround both.
 
In 1981, the NCAA membership developed the designation of a senior female staff member. This came in conjunction with the organization providing more championship opportunities for women's sports. As the number of female student-athletes has continued to rise, the SWA position is designed to intend future representation of women's interests, experience, and perspective at the institutional, conference, and national levels. The SWA is eligible to serve on NCAA committees, participate in eligibility hearings, receive grants, and earn other benefits. Schools and conferences.
 
In the Marist Athletics Department, the role of SWA has been capably filled by Elizabeth Donohue for the last 16 years. Donohue oversees Marist's compliance office, the department's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and is part of the department's senior leadership team. She has served on committees at the college, conference, and national levels, and has also established herself as leader in the Hudson Valley community.
 
Quotes – NCAA Leadership
"The senior woman administrator ensures the representation of women's interests, experiences, and perspective into the decision-making process in intercollegiate athletics. This is important because an inclusive culture – one where all points of view are heard and valued – creates a better environment for student-athletes and higher education." – Dr. Mark Emmert, NCAA President
 
"The senior woman administrator is an essential, visible leadership role in today's athletics landscape. The senior management functions and the key audiences involved in our profession continue to evolve, creating a need for a diverse and informed viewpoint to make sound decisions, especially when those decisions involve student-athletes or the overall operation of the athletics department. The senior woman administrator can be in a leadership role in any of the professional or management areas of the athletics program, including serving as a visible role model in intercollegiate athletics, the campus and in the community." — Joni Comstock, NCAA senior vice-president for championships/SWA
 
Note: Quotes were provided from a Senior Woman Administrator brochure published by the NCAA.