The Athletics Illustrated Person of the Week honour for the week of June 1, 2020, is awarded to Brown University’s Christina Hull Paxon. Paxon earned Person of the Week honours for the not very popular reason for cutting track and field and cross-country from the varsity program at Brown. Shame on her!
© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics Illustrated
Paxon cut athletics from the varsity sports program.
“Effective immediately for the 2020-21 academic year, the University will transition 11 varsity teams to club status. Brown will cease training, competition and operations at the varsity level for men’s and women’s fencing; men’s and women’s golf; women’s skiing; men’s and women’s squash; women’s equestrian; and men’s track, field and cross country (which are three varsity sports under federal Title IX rules governing access to opportunities in sports),” a Brown University statement reads.
Paxon’s bio at Brown includes the following boilerplate, “In addition, Paxson has overseen consecutive record-setting years in philanthropic support for Brown. Growth in fundraising and investment has strengthened the University’s teaching and research with support for state-of-the-art facilities that include the Friedman Hall undergraduate teaching and learning building, the Engineering Research Center, expansion of the Watson Institute for Public and International Affairs, and spaces for research and study for data sciences, brain science, education, entrepreneurship, public health and other growing fields at Brown.”
Change.org petition:
“This is the official petition to retain Brown Men’s Track & Field/Cross-Country’s Varsity status, in direct response to President Christina Paxson’s recent message regarding The Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative. Signed by current, past and prospective athletes, as well as allies across the world of Brown Track & Field/Cross-Country.”
About Person of the Week
The Athletics Illustrated Person of the Week recognition is an endeavour that aims to recognise noteworthy or newsworthy achievements, actions or events in the sport of athletics by individuals who are involved or have affected the sport in some way.
The weekly decision will be the discretion of Athletics Illustrated, however, input from readers is welcome.
At the end of each year, the Person of the Week honours will be reviewed and featured along with a Person of the Year recognition taken from the list of weekly honours.
If you feel someone should be recognised, please register, login, and provide the person’s name and reason.
