Merlene Aitken enters her fourth academic year as WSSU's Associate Director of Athletics for NCAA Compliance in 2009-10 and her first year of service as the Senior Woman Administrator for the Department of Athletics. Aitken joined the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics staff in September of 2006 as the Associate Athletics Director for NCAA Compliance where she is charged with monitoring and ensuring that the WSSU Department of Athletics is in full compliance with all NCAA rules and procedures that govern intercollegiate athletics. Prior to assuming her duties at WSSU, Ms. Aitken amassed eleven years of experience in intercollegiate athletics at the NCAA Division I level.

Ms. Aitken brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics and over the course of her first 36 months at WSSU has already instituted new initiatives that have ensured the Rams and Lady Rams' strict adherence to NCAA rules and regulations.

In addition to Ms. Aitken's compliance responsibilities, she has area and sport oversight of softball, golf, bowling, men's and women's tennis, the Office of Student-Athlete Academic Services and the Department of Sports Medicine.

An experienced athletics administrator, Ms. Aitken's attention to detail and tireless work ethic have completely transformed the WSSU Office of NCAA Compliance into a model of efficiency. Aitken has instituted a system of checks and balances aimed at eliminating errors which has helped to streamline the efforts of the WSSU Office of NCAA Compliance while cementing her place as one of the most key components to the success of the WSSU Department of Athletics.

A native of Yonkers, N.Y., Ms. Aitken comes to Winston-Salem State University from the University of Kansas where she served as the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance from February 2004 until September 2006. Prior to joining the University of Kansas compliance staff, Ms. Aitken served as the University of Washington director of compliance for the Huskies' Department of Athletics from June 2001 until February 2004.

A 1997 graduate of Brooklyn College, Ms. Aitken earned her Juris Doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Law in 2000. While in law school she served an internship in the Northeastern University athletics department in internal operations. Following law school, Ms. Aitken was a compliance intern at Michigan State University. As an undergraduate she was a student assistant in the sports information department at Brooklyn College. She has over 14 years of experience working in various capacities in an intercollegiate athletic setting.

Ms. Aitken is the proud mother of a three-year old son Christopher. She currently resides in Winston-Salem, N.C.