IU recruits former Army athletics director

After three months of searching for a new athletics director, IU President Adam Herbert announced Thursday that Rick Greenspan would fill the position, effective Sept. 15.\nIn coming to IU, Greenspan left the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he has served as director of intercollegiate athletics since 1999.\n"When you consider making a change like this, the most critical aspects of the position is the individual you have to work with," Greenspan said in his introductory press conference Thursday. "I am a passionate person. I love what I do, and I like working with other passionate people. That is important to me."\nGreenspan will be IU's fourth athletics director in the past five years and is replacing Terry Clapacs, who has served as both the athletics director and vice president and chief administrative officer since November 2002.\nThe athletics director search committee, led by IU Alumni Association President Ken Beckley, interviewed 100 applicants with the intent of finding a director with great leadership skills and integrity, Herbert said.\n"We have found a leader who has a depth and breadth of experience in athletics administration that addresses all of the criteria we sought," Herbert said. "We have found a leader who clearly understands the overarching significance of our academic mission and priorities at Indiana University."\nGreenspan is under contract for five years and will receive $275,000 annually, with $30,000 delayed compensation for each year he serves as athletics director.\nBecause of the many changes in leadership at the top of the athletics department, the decision for the new director was an important one, Herbert said.\n"I stated that this search presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of Indiana University Athletics," Herbert said. "It also provides an opportunity to demonstrate that our athletics program will reflect this institution's high expectations -- excellence in athletic competition and in the classroom." \nHerbert has lofty goals for Greenspan. He said he expects IU to be in the top 20 of the Directors Cup, the annual rankings that honor institutions that maintain a broad-based program, achieving success in many sports, both men's and women's. Herbert said he is also looking for IU student athletes to have one of the highest graduation rates in the Big Ten.\nGreenspan made an immediate impact to student athletes, as he donated $10,000 to the IU Varsity Club in honor of Jason Garrett, a family friend who recently passed away.\nIn accepting his new position at IU, Greenspan is excited about tackling the problems currently challenging the athletics department, he said.\n"I enthusiastically look forward to helping to establish a world--class environment, where our student athletes and coaches can successfully strive for championships," Greenspan said. \nIn hiring Greenspan, IU has a leader who has turned around athletics departments before. \nAccording to the Army Web site, Greenspan has led West Point to an aggressive overhaul in facilities and an infusion of financial support from fundraising. Under his six years of guidance, Army opened an off-field home for the football program, and a new press box atop Michie Stadium, in addition to four facilities for seven sports.\nFacilities have been a new issue for the IU athletics department. In July, Clapacs made a proposal for a $65 million in facility upgrades for IU sports teams.\n"(Greenspan) had excellent experience and strength in each of the areas of qualifications that the president sought," Beckley said. "What the main interest for us was that he appeared to be the complete package and there was no doubt that Rick was the person to lead Indiana University."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.