PHILADELPHIA – Penn Athletics is saddened to report the passing of Charles Harris, who served as the University of Pennsylvania's Director of Athletics from 1979-85. Harris, who passed away on December 7, was 71 years old.
 
Harris became the first Black Director of Athletics in Ivy League history when he was hired away from Michigan by University Provost Vartan Gregorian to replace Andy Geiger. Hired at the age of 29, he also was the youngest AD in Ivy history. During Harris' tenure, the Quakers football program won a trio of Ivy League titles, from 1982-84, after he hired the recently deceased Jerry Berndt as head coach. The men's basketball program, meanwhile, won four Ivy titles.
 
Overall, 13 sports won a total of 28 Ivy League championships during Harris' tenure as AD. In addition, the Quakers' men's fencing program was NCAA champion in 1980-81, and two fencers—Paul Friedberg (men's sabre) and Mary Jane O'Neill (women's foil)—won individual NCAA titles during Harris' tenure.
 
Harris left Penn in May 1985 to become the Director of Athletics at Arizona State University. He then served as commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) from 1996-2002 before making the move to Averett University in Danville, Va.
 
Harris had recently retired as Executive Vice President at Averett. He had a long and distinguished tenure at the University, starting as the Cougars' Director of Athletics. He transitioned to Vice President of Student Services in 2007, and then into the Executive Vice President role in 2009. Upon his retirement last year, Harris continued to work closely with Averett President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks and the Institutional Advancement team, as he and his wife, Lenora Billings-Harris, served as co-chairs on the Averett Ascending Comprehensive Campaign.
 
Harris held many NCAA committee positions during his career in college athletics, including the Men's Basketball Selection Committee and chaired the Committee on Financial Aid. He was a key member of several NCAA negotiation committees for television contracts. In January of 2002, Harris completed a term as chair of the NCAA Management Council; this is the most senior position not held by a college or university president in the NCAA hierarchy. He was named to the NCAA Division III Football Committee and began his appointment in January 2005. His responsibilities there included assisting the committee on selecting at-large teams for the tournament and assigning officiating crews to playoff games. Additionally, he assisted in staffing the Stagg Bowl, NCAA Division III's National Championship game.
 
A recipient of numerous national and regional awards, Harris was recognized by the All-American Football Foundation for Lifetime Achievement as an athletics director. He was also awarded the Asa Bushnell Commissioner's Award and served as a national board member of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics. Harris was listed in Who's Who in America and was recipient of the Outstanding Young Philadelphian Award and was also named as an Outstanding Young Phoenician.
 
The Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Hanes Lineberry Funeral North Elm Chapel, 515 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, N.C. Click here for the obituary.