This week, Hoosiers lost a leader of uncommon integrity and vision with the passing of Myles Brand.

A philosopher by training and inclination, he earned admiration as a level-headed reformer who helped restore an ethos of scholastic achievement to collegiate athletics in America.

As president of my alma mater, Indiana University, he led IU through a period of remarkable growth. During his tenure, the school attracted record enrollments, quadrupled its endowment, doubled its research funding and became a national leader in life sciences and information technology. His trailblazing was recognized in 2001 when Time magazine named Indiana University its "College of the Year."

In 2003, Brand became only the fourth person -- and the first university president -- chosen to lead college sports when he was named NCAA president.

Brand implemented the most comprehensive package of academic reforms in the history of college sports. The NCAA raised eligibility standards for freshmen and strengthened requirements that America's 400,000 scholarship athletes make annual progress toward a degree to maintain their eligibility. His reforms subjected teams with poor overall academic performance to serious penalties, including bans on bowl games and postseason play.

Today, NCAA graduation rates exceed those of the general student population in every demographic category. The NCAA's overall graduation rate for its student-athletes stood at 79 percent last year. The graduation rate of female student-athletes outpaced non-athletes by 8 percent, while the graduation rate for African-American male student-athletes was 10 percent higher than their peers who didn't play sports.

In a watershed speech in 2001 at the National Press Club, he enunciated the mission statement that would come to define his tenure as NCAA chief: "Academics must come first."

Of course, Brand's focus on helping athletes make the grade could not mask his appreciation for those who could make the shot. He harbored a deep love for college sports -- and a belief in the power of the NCAA to be a dream-maker.

Brand also believed the NCAA should be an active corporate citizen. During his time in office, the NCAA helped hundreds of charities, schools and local organizations throughout Indiana. After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, he dispatched teams of student-athletes and considerable financial resources to the region to rebuild family homes.

USA Today called Brand "the strongest, most vocal and influential leader college sports has had in decades." The college sports community called him the NCAA's "Education President." I was lucky to call him a friend.

Dr. Myles Brand, a man who cast a long shadow over college athletics and academia, will be long remembered and sorely missed.

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