ANAHEIM, Calif. -- NCAA president Myles Brand wants to emphasize the student in student-athlete.

''You should have every opportunity to succeed in college, be in position to get a first-class education and be treated fairly and enabled to play a sport and be competitive,'' he said.

''I would recommend not sending a son or daughter to a school that won't give you both.''

Brand will meet with the NCAA's full membership for the first time at the convention for the governing body of college sports. The meeting runs Saturday through Tuesday.

The NCAA is expected to place new emphasis on academic accountability and graduation rates under Brand, the first sitting college president chosen to head the organization.

Brand left his job as university president at Indiana to take the NCAA post. He is best known for firing Bob Knight as the Hoosiers' basketball coach in 2000 after Knight violated the school's zero-tolerance policy.

Brand's dismissal of Knight -- whose 29 years at Indiana included three NCAA championships -- and promotion of assistant Mike Davis to coach drew some criticism from students and alumni, but Brand remained resolute.

Even Brand's harshest critics were mostly silenced when Davis took the Hoosiers to the NCAA championship game for the first time in 15 years last season, a 64-52 defeat against Maryland.

The 60-year-old Brand was named NCAA president in October, seven months after Cedric Dempsey announced he was retiring at the end of 2002.

Brand, whose contract runs through 2007, was chosen from a list of more than 80 candidates. He formally began work Jan. 1.

Committed to promoting better dialogue among the NCAA, university presidents, athletic directors and coaches, Brand will wade into a variety of issues.

Although no voting is expected on major issues by Division I representatives during the convention, there will be many forums for discussions.

The NCAA recently toughened the rules for freshman eligibility, with the changes to take effect in August. Some university presidents apparently want even stronger reforms.

Title IX might be a point of contention because the federal government has held several forums around the country regarding possible changes in the gender equity legislation.

The Bowl Championship Series, which determines college football's national championship, also is expected to be a topic of discussion.

Job opportunities may also be discussed, with the Black Coaches Association disappointed that more football head coaching jobs have not gone to minorities.

Brand is to give his state of the association speech Sunday.