WVU's First Compliance Director Jeffries Dies
January 12, 2011 03:02 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Roger Jeffries, West Virginia University’s first athletic compliance director, has died.
Jeffries first joined the WVU athletic staff in 1979 as a scholarship officer and was promoted to assistant athletic director for development in 1982. Seven years later, he became the school’s first compliance director when Ed Pastilong was named director of athletics in 1989.
Jeffries served in that role for nine years until his retirement in 1998.
“Roger played a few roles within the athletic department,” said WVU Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons. “The most vital role was his assignment as the University’s first athletic compliance director. When the NCAA mandated that schools have a compliance officer, Ed Pastilong asked Roger to start the program. With his legal background he was able to get the program started quickly.”
In addition to his compliance duties, Jeffries also handled administration of scholarships and financial aid, was the legal advisor to the athletic department and remained involved in the Mountaineer Athletic Club’s planned giving initiative.
During Jeffries’ seven-year tenure in the Mountaineer Athletic Club, membership nearly doubled to more than 5,000 contributors and he was credited with developing new sources of revenue for the athletic department through the implementation of a life insurance program, the Athletic Endowment Fund, the Athletic Facilities Capital Improvement Fund and other endowments.
Prior to his tenure with athletics, Jeffries worked for the WVU Foundation as Director of Deferred Giving and later assumed the position of Legal Affairs Officer and Director of Planned Giving.
A native of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., Jeffries earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from WVU in 1967 and a law degree from WVU in 1970. He is a past member of the county, state and American Bar Association.
Jeffries is survived by his wife Donna and three daughters – Twila, Tammi and Kimberly.
“He took his role in the department very seriously but always found time for his girls – Donna, Twila, Tammi and Kim,” said Parsons.
Jeffries was 78.
Jeffries first joined the WVU athletic staff in 1979 as a scholarship officer and was promoted to assistant athletic director for development in 1982. Seven years later, he became the school’s first compliance director when Ed Pastilong was named director of athletics in 1989.
Jeffries served in that role for nine years until his retirement in 1998.
“Roger played a few roles within the athletic department,” said WVU Deputy Director of Athletics Mike Parsons. “The most vital role was his assignment as the University’s first athletic compliance director. When the NCAA mandated that schools have a compliance officer, Ed Pastilong asked Roger to start the program. With his legal background he was able to get the program started quickly.”
In addition to his compliance duties, Jeffries also handled administration of scholarships and financial aid, was the legal advisor to the athletic department and remained involved in the Mountaineer Athletic Club’s planned giving initiative.
During Jeffries’ seven-year tenure in the Mountaineer Athletic Club, membership nearly doubled to more than 5,000 contributors and he was credited with developing new sources of revenue for the athletic department through the implementation of a life insurance program, the Athletic Endowment Fund, the Athletic Facilities Capital Improvement Fund and other endowments.
Prior to his tenure with athletics, Jeffries worked for the WVU Foundation as Director of Deferred Giving and later assumed the position of Legal Affairs Officer and Director of Planned Giving.
A native of Bruceton Mills, W.Va., Jeffries earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from WVU in 1967 and a law degree from WVU in 1970. He is a past member of the county, state and American Bar Association.
Jeffries is survived by his wife Donna and three daughters – Twila, Tammi and Kimberly.
“He took his role in the department very seriously but always found time for his girls – Donna, Twila, Tammi and Kim,” said Parsons.
Jeffries was 78.
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