Thursday, June 06, 2002
UK search for AD hits full speed
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky President Lee Todd said Wednesday he hoped to have a list of candidates for the school's vacant athletics director position in hand by the end of the month.
“That would be the goal,” Todd said. “I still hope to have this position filled by the end of July or first part of August if possible.”
Todd spoke after a meeting of the University of Kentucky Athletics Association board of directors in which he gave members a list of personal characteristics and credentials the school would look for in a new athletics director.
Former athletics director Larry Ivy resigned March 5 amid an internal review of the athletics department. Terry Mobley, the school's director of development and a former basketball player under coach Adolph Rupp, has served as interim athletics director since Ivy's resignation.
The position specification list was compiled by members of the school's national search firm, Gainesville, Fla.-based Carr Sports Associates Inc., and an informal, seven-member advisory panel he put together to help him with the search.
Among the special areas of expertise the school would seek in a candidate were NCAA governance and legislation, compliance, contracts and legal issues, marketing, fund raising and Title IX.
The guidelines also suggested that candidates should have strong management skills in fiscal control, public relations and dealing with personnel. Personality type, public speaking skills and integrity in personal matters also will be considered.
Todd said strong leadership, management experience and integrity were the most important qualities in his mind.
“You never get a person with every single quality that you're looking for, but the list provides a good reference tool when you begin to narrow down candidates,” he said.
Todd said representatives from the search firm have assured him there will be no shortage of impressive candidates.
“This is a marquee position and not just any other AD position,” he said. “They've predicted there will be a lot of interest from some very strong candidates.”
During the board meeting, school officials also announced that the appeal of its postseason bowl ban in football would be heard by the NCAA's Infractions Appeals Committee on Aug. 17 in Chicago.
The NCAA levied its penalties against Kentucky on Jan. 31 for dozens of violations in its football program. The penalties also included three years' probation and a reduction in scholarships.
Sandy Bell, Kentucky's associate athletics director for compliance, said the school would argue that the NCAA's Committee on Infractions, in levying the postseason ban, was wrong in determining that the violations gave Kentucky a significant recruiting advantage.
Bell told the board that the appeals committee has no timetable for rulings, saying it could be anywhere from several weeks to several months.
“I've told our football coach to go out and win the games we need to get to a bowl game and that hopefully, once he's done that, we'll have an answer from the committee,” Bell said.
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UK search for AD hits full speed 
