Although sports have for many years been an integral part of American higher education, it was not until recent years that athletics in colleges and universities became enmeshed in legal problems. The heightened interest in the legal aspects of sports is apparent to even the most casual reader of the daily sports pages, and it is increasingly becoming a major concern of administrators in American colleges. Because of this interest one finds a number of articles appearing in law reviews in recent times, when in the past they were almost non-existent. In fact, the existence of this symposium issue is just such an example of the increasing interest among lawyers and college administrators, and it points out the degree of concern that has been raised among those charged with running colleges and universities.

The purpose of this selected bibliography is to present an annotated list of legal materials which deal with the areas of interest to university administrators and legal counsel who deal in the governance of athletic programs. The bibliography is divided into subject classifications which present various areas of the law with a general section at the beginning which sets forth a number of items which are of a descriptive or policy nature. These items present an overview of the entire area of university athletics, and they are offered as basic readings for anyone who is interested in the problems that surround sports programs at the postsecondary level. Also included is a list of organizations which are concerned with the regulation, governance, or fostering of sports programs in the amateur and intercollegiate arena. Since a complete list would be too lengthy to include, only those organizations which have the widest focus or the greatest influence are listed, together with a statement of their publications.