Bio

Dr. Thomas H. Clements served a distinguished career in higher education and in the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. In 1994, he retired after 12 years as president of Foothill College and a total of 30 years in top administrative posts in the district. 

An early advocate for parity among men's and women's intercollegiate athletic programs, he supported the creation of several women's programs at Foothill, including softball, water polo and golf. He stressed the importance of academic achievement and the goal of transfer of Foothill athletes, faculty and administrators. 

Dr. Clements was appointed to the COA Board by the Coast Conference for six years and served as chair for three years. He also focused on human performance and athletic-scholar issues throughout his educational career. Under his leadership, many breakthrough improvements were made in intercollegiate athletics, including the completion of the preamble and introduction to the COA constitution - then known as the Athletic Code; establishment of rules mandating the abolishment of tobacco and other substances in COA-sponsored competitions; adoption of policies strengthening the quality of the student athlete academic performance requirements; and, completion of early research on the 'Study of Academic Performance of Student Athletes'.