| James J. Phillips | |
| Current Title: | Commissioner |
| Current Conference: | ACC |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Admin Years1: | 2004–2008 |
| Admin Team1: | Northern Illinois |
| Admin Years2: | 2008–2021 |
| Admin Team2: | Northwestern |
| Admin Years3: | 2021–present |
| Admin Team3: | ACC (commissioner) |
James J. "Jim" Phillips is an American college athletic administrator. He is the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), a position he has held since 2021. Phillips served as the athletic director at Northern Illinois University from 2004 to 2008 and Northwestern University from 2008 to 2021.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Phillips is a Chicago native and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign,[5] followed by a Master of Education from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Tennessee.
In 2023, Phillips was accused of covering up widespread hazing and sexual abuse in Northwestern University's football program. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Philips in litigation headed by noted civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.[6] Despite Phillips involvement in the sex abuse scandal, The Atlantic Coast Conference has made no effort to investigate or punish Phillips.[7]
The youngest of 10 children from a Catholic family, Phillips has been described by Sports Illustrated writer Pat Forde as "an emphatic Catholic" and "punctilious in the practice of worship". When working at the ACC's uptown Charlotte headquarters, he attends the 12:10 pm mass at a church within walking distance of the headquarters daily. He and his wife Laura, herself the youngest of seven children from a Chicago Catholic family, have five children.[8]