AD search enters next step

The search for a new athletics director began its next phase with the passing of the July 16 deadline for applicants.\nThe IU Athletics Department set up a Web site featuring an advertisement outlining the criteria expected of IU's new athletics director June 10 and distributed the advertisement through traditional media in addition to e-mail. The ad was also sent to major college sports conferences around the nation and to those who expressed interest in the job. There are seven qualifications listed on the advertisement, including significant experience in fiscal planning and budget management, as well as an understanding and appreciation of the role of intercollegiate athletics within a leading university.\nFrom the time of the advertisement listing the job opening to the recently passed deadline, the search committee received 100 applicants, IU Alumni Association President Ken Beckley said.\nIn regards to the applications, Beckley said the committee is excited.\n"We are really pleased with the diversity of the pool," Beckley said. "I'm really pleased with the quantity and quality of the candidates. We feel we can find a really good candidate for the position from the pool of applicants."\nWhen applications began arriving at the beginning of July, the 16-member committee went th rough the process of reviewing all letters of interest and resumes.\nThough Beckley wouldn't reveal any specific information regarding the applicants, he said one common bond existed among the majority of the applicants: Most had experience in the athletics profession.\nFrom the 100 applicants in the running, the search committee hopes to whittle that number down to six. It will present the finalists to IU President Adam Herbert in mid-August.\nThe search committee still plans to keep its goal of having a final candidate to Herbert by the end of August and a decision on the new athletics director shortly after.\nThe position of athletics director opened up in June when Herbert announced the formation of the committee, which will allow current athletics director Terry Clapacs to resume his full-time duties as vice president for administration and chief administrative officer. Clapacs is currently serving the University in both capacities, having been named the interim athletics director in November 2002, following the resignation of former Athletics Director Michael McNeely that same month, and was then given permanence to the position in April 2003.\nClapacs' initial contract called for him to hold the athletics director position until June 30, when the process of selecting a new AD would begin.\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.