HARVEY PERLMAN
Harvey Perlman was named the 19th Chancellor
of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on April 1,
2001. He had served as Interim Chancellor of the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln since July 16, 2000.
A former dean of the University of Nebraska
College of Law (1983-98), Perlman also has served
as interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs
at UNL (1995-96).
A Nebraska native, Perlman was raised in York,
and earned a bachelor of arts in history and a juris
doctorate from the University of Nebraska. During
his law school years, he was editor in chief of the
Nebraska Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif, a law honors society.
He joined the NU law faculty in 1967 after spending a year as a Bigelow Teaching Fellow at
the University of Chicago Law School. He served on the Nebraska law faculty until 1974 when he
joined the faculty at the University of Virginia Law School. He returned to Nebraska in 1983 when
he accepted the deanship of the Nebraska Law College, a post he held until 1998 when he returned
to the professoriate. He has also served as a visiting professor at Florida State University College
of Law, the University of Puget Sound School of Law and the University of Iowa College of Law.
In 2011, Perlman was named an Honorary University Professor of Xi’an Jiaotong University,
in Xi’an, China. This rare lifetime appointment entitles Perlman to privileges at the university,
with which UNL has many institutional ties. Perlman also will occasionally lecture and teach at
Xi’an Jiaotong University. The title is the highest honor the university awards to a foreign scholar,
and recognizes Perlman as an accomplished scholar or professional of important international
reputation. The award also recognizes Perlman for his significant efforts in globalizing UNL and
Xi’an Jiaotong University through joint research and partnership degree programs.
His area of legal expertise lies in torts and intellectual property. He is a member of the Nebraska
State and American Bar Associations and is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Association. Perlman
is co-author of “Intellectual Property and Unfair Nebraska's Chancellors
Competition” (5th edition, 1998) and co-reporter 1871-1876 — Allen R. Benton
for the American Law Institute’s “Restatement 1876-1882 — Edmund B. Farfield
of Unfair Competition” (1994). He serves on the 1884-1889 — Irvin J. Manatt
Council of the American Law Institute, a leading 1891-1895 — James H. Canfield
1895-1899 — George E. MacLean
national law reform organization and as one 1900-1908 — E. Benjamin Andrews
of Nebraska’s Commissioners of Uniform State 1908-1927 — Samuel Avery
Laws. He previously served as a member of the 1927-1938 — E.A. Burnett
NCAA Board of Directors and is past chair of the 1938-1946 — Chauncey S. Boucher
Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight 1947-1953 — R.G. Gustavson
1953-1954 — John K. Selleck
Committee. He serves on the Board of Directors
1954-1968 — Clifford Hardin
of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and is 1968-1971 — Joseph Soshnik
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nebraska 1972-1975 — James H. Zumberge
Innovation Campus Development Corporation. 1975-1976 — Adam C. Breckenridge
He received the George Turner Award from the 1976-1980 — Roy A. Young
Nebraska State Bar Association for contributions 1980-1981 — Robert H. Rutford
1981-1991 — Martin A. Massengale
to the legal profession and the Roger T. Larson 1991-1991 — Jack Goebel
Community Builder Award from the Lincoln 1991-1995 — Graham B. Spanier
Chamber of Commerce.
1995-1996 — Joan R. Leitzel*
Perlman and his wife, Susan, an NU alumna, are 1996-2000 — James Moeser
the parents of two daughters. Anne, who earned 2000-2001 — Harvey S. Perlman*
2001-present — Harvey S. Perlman
degrees from UNL and the University of Nebraska * Interim Chancellor
Medical Center, practices medicine in Lincoln and
is married to UNL alumnus David Spinar; they have
three children; Will, Ava, and Marco, Husker fans all. Daughter Amie, who received bachelors and
juris doctorate degrees from UNL, is a Nebraska assistant attorney general and is married to UNL
alumnus Ron Larson; they are the parents of Caleb and Finn.
JOSEPHINE POTUTO
Josephine (Jo) R. Potuto, the Richard H.
Larson Professor of Constitutional Law, has been
Nebraska’s faculty representative (FAR) at the NCAA
and conference level since May 15, 1997.
In 2002, Potuto was named Outstanding Faculty
Athletics Representative by the All-American
Football Foundation. From 2008-09 to 2011-12
she was president of the 1A FAR (FARs from FBS
institutions). Among her NCAA positions, Potuto
spent nine years (the maximum) on the NCAA
Division I Committee on Infractions (chair her
last two years) and currently substitutes when
a member cannot serve. She was one of three Big 12 Conference representatives on the NCAA
Division I Management Council, served on the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championship Committee,
and currently serves on an NCAA-wide (all divisions) committee to advise NCAA staff on studentathlete issues and educational programming for coaches, staff, and student-athletes.
A sports law expert, Potuto regularly lectures and consults on sports issues in general and
NCAA processes in particular. She is an expert witness in litigation involving sports issues. She
testified before the House Subc ommittee on the Constitution regarding due process in NCAA
infractions hearings.
In the past year she has appeared in media reports in the NY Times, LA Times, USA Today,
Washington Post, CBSSports.com, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among others. She has
presented to the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, the Texas Commission of Higher
Education, NCAA regional conferences, law conferences and law firms, NACDA, and to universities
and law colleges, including the Universities of Istanbul, Washington, Maryland, Oklahoma, Santa
Clara, Baltimore and Mississippi.
Potuto is a past adviser to the Uniform Law Commissioners Committee to draft a sports agent
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2015 NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL
Chancellor / Nebraska (1963)
Faculty Representative / Rutgers (1971)
statute, has drafted rules governing search and Nebraska’s Faculty Representatives
seizure and hearings for the Nebraska Racing 1931-1946 — T.J. Thompson
Commission, and also has written on issues 1947-1958 — Earl Fullbrook
of gender equity in college athletics. She has 1959-1964 — Charles S. Miller
authored numerous articles on sports law 1965-1968 — Merk Hobson
issues. She just completed an article on student- 1969-1970 — John R. Davis
1971-1982 — Keith L. Broman
athlete use of their names/likenesses with an
1982-1997 — James O’Hanlon
econometrician and tax professor.
1997-pres. — Josephine Potuto
Potuto delivered the 2012 Chancellor’s
Distinguished Lecture. She serves on the senate’s
intercollegiate athletics committee. She is a past member of the UNL academic senate and also
served on Nebraska’s NCAA site certification steering committee.
Potuto teaches constitutional law, procedure, federal jurisdiction, and sports law. She has been
a visiting professor of law at the University of Arizona, Rutgers University, the Cardozo College of
Law at New York’s Yeshiva University, the University of Oregon, the University of North Carolina,
and Seton Hall University. She has worked as an assistant prosecutor in both the Essex and Morris
County (N.J.) prosecutor’s offices.
Potuto was project director and a drafter of the Uniform Law Commissioners Sentencing and
Corrections Act, as well as the drafter for the Nebraska Supreme Court Committee to Draft Criminal
Jury Instructions. She is the author of three books. She was elected to membership in the American
Law Institute, the Nebraska State Bar Foundation, and the Douglass Society.
Potuto earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Rutgers’ Douglass College, and her master’s
degree in English literature at Seton Hall. She earned her juris doctorate at the Rutgers Law College.
She is a member of the bars of Nebraska and New Jersey and is admitted to practice before
the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts
for Nebraska and New Jersey.