Robert Philippi has spent over a decade at Conference USA, arriving in 2006 as Assistant Commissioner for Compliance & Academics. He was elevated to Associate Commissioner for Compliance & Academics in 2008 and promoted to Senior Associate Commissioner in 2013.
Philippi currently directs the programming and services associated with compliance, academics, legislation, risk management, governance and student-athlete welfare functions of the conference office. Since his arrival, the conference has seen a steady annual increase in APR scores along with a significant reduction in the number of teams subject to penalties, including no teams subject to a postseason ban.
He also represents the organization at postseason bowl games, assists in securing and managing qualifying regular season multi-team events in the sport of
basketball (e.g., Battle for Atlantis, BVI) and represents the conference office in the NCAA governance structure with recent appointments to the Division I Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) and as Chair of the Subcommittee on Legislative Relief for the Division I Legislative Council.
As a requested speaker, he has presented at the NCAA convention, N4A national meeting, NAAC convention, NCAA Regional Rules Seminars and the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics; served as technology consultant for athletic development companies (e.g., ARMS) and written sport management courses relating to sponsorships, ticketing, marketing and compliance.
Prior to joining C-USA, he spent five years at UNLV, where he was responsible for supervising the complete operation of the academic advising unit; developing programs designed to improve the retention and the graduation rates of student-athletes and directing institutional efforts in maintaining compliance with NCAA, conference and institutional policies. During his tenure he developed a strategic plan, directed a staff and instituted programming that increased the student-athlete graduation rate from thirty percent to fifty-five percent; the institution’s highest.
Philippi spent 1999-2002 at the NCAA national office serving as Membership Services Representative responsible for providing the NCAA membership interpretations of NCAA rules; serving as the lead in processing initial-eligibility waivers, presenting rules education programs; facilitating the athletics certification program in the areas of gender equity, diversity, fiscal integrity, governance and rules compliance; assisting in the fulfillment of national office technology initiatives; and creating programming for the professional development of NCAA staff.
A native of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Philippi is an avid runner participating in various competitive events including the Dallas Marathon, Maui Half Marathon, San Diego Half Marathon, Red Rock Canyon Half Marathon, Camp Pendleton Mud Run and the Pacific Beach Ocean Swim/Run.
Other outside interests include real estate investment, coaching, and business development which includes serving as business advisor to
PSI, voted by Men’s Health magazine as one of the top 10 gym’s in the United States, and for the
Philippi Sports Foundation charged with ensuring the ideals of a healthy lifestyle, support for education and introduction to sports are carried on to benefit those with less fortunate backgrounds.