Around The Campus

Senior Meredith Suffron, president of IU Student Association, said she adamantly believes in the importance of student input in the hiring of a new athletics director. \nTo that end, she planned and played host to a meeting for the general public Wednesday. The goal was for them to tell her what they think should be considered when choosing a new athletics director.\nSuffron said she would bring the comments to the committee, of which she is a part.\nFew students came to the meeting; three members of the Student Athletic Board were the sole attendees.\nThose SAB representatives raised concerns about the new director's personality. They all said it is necessary the candidate is outgoing, communicative and involved in the athletic community. \n"The athletics director should be someone who can break down the divisions between the different departments," said junior Suzanne Shane, SAB secretary. "It seems the athletic department and the rest of the school are not working together anymore. We need to bring that back."\nThe students also urged Suffron and the rest of the search committee to make a decision about the new athletics director before a new basketball head coach is found.\nSuffron said no concrete date has been set for the decision, but applications are already being examined. Athletics director Clarence Doninger will retire June 30. \nSuffron said the board has received about 20 applications.\nDoninger, who has held the position since 1991, falls under the University's mandatory retirement policy, which states that executives and high policy makers "shall be required to retire … when the individual holding the position has attained the age of 65"