Search for director begins

President Myles Brand announced Thursday that Terry Clapacs will be heading a search committee to find a replacement for athletics director Clarence Doninger, who is retiring June 30.\nClapacs, vice president for administration, said the 18-member committee will begin its search immediately and expects to receive applications as early as next week.\n"People generally respond quickly to positions like this," Clapacs said. "This is a real plum position, and I think it should be an attractive position to anybody across the nation."\nDoninger, who assumed the post in 1991, falls under the University's mandatory retirement policy. The policy states that executives and high policy makers "shall be required to retire ... when the individual holding the position has attained the age of 65." Doninger turned 65 in October, and June 30 is the mandatory date for him to retire.\nThere is a loophole in the policy in which the University president can bypass the retirement requirement in a yearly review. In an April 7 IDS article, J.T. Forbes, the assistant vice president for public relations and government affairs at the time, said the exception is rarely used.\nAccording to a March 31 IDS article, when Doninger took the position in 1991 he inquired with human resources about the policy and was told he would not have to retire at 65.\nThe board of trustees passed an addendum for "high policy makers" in 1997, University Counsel Dorothy Frapwell said in that article. Doninger said he was not informed of the policy until Clapacs, vice president for administration, told him earlier this year.\nDoninger was not available for comment at press time.\nClapacs said the committee's job is to find a person who is well-suited to lead a major athletics program.\n"Specifically, at IU we like to have an athletic program where all of our sports are competitive," Clapacs said.\nHe said there are specific steps the committee will take when finding a new athletics director. The first goal will be to organize the committee to be as efficient as possible, which Clapacs said will "necessitate the committee breaking down in smaller groups."\nThe committee chair said they would advertise the position in the Chronicle for Higher Education and in NCAA publications. \n"Then we're going to have to spend some time thinking about the characteristics and skill sets this person will need," Clapacs said.\nSenior Amanda Noblet, a member of the swimming team and a Student Athlete Advisory Committee representative, said she feels having student athlete input on the hiring decision is key to making a smooth transition.\n"I would like to see an A.D. who is willing to take time to listen to the concerns of student-athletes, coaches, training department and academic department," Noblet said. "I think it's necessary that a student-athlete have a chance to voice their opinion on the qualities they would like to see in the new A.D."\nDuring Doninger's tenure, IU won two national championships and 25 Big Ten regular season or tournament titles. Hoosier teams have participated in 52 NCAA team championships under Doninger.\nIn a press release, Brand said he hopes the committee will complete its work by June 30, in order to have a new athletics director by Doninger's mandatory retirement date. \n"We hope to have a person in place by June, but the earlier the better," Clapacs said. "We have to make decisions about the head basketball coach, and it would be nice to have somebody who would participate in that process, but that may or may not be possible."\nBrand also complimented Doninger's accomplishments at IU.\n"Clarence Doninger's leadership in IU athletics has been excellent over the last 10 years, both in our success on the playing fields and in the classroom with our student-athletes," Brand said. "Our goal now is to conduct a very aggressive and comprehensive national search to continue to build on the tremendous traditions of IU athletics."\n \nOther members of the committee include: \n• Frederick Eichhorn, Board of Trustees vice president\n• Joelyn Ainley, vice chancellor for student affairs, IU Southeast\n• Susan Gubar, distinguished professor and member of Athletics Committee\n• Steve Henke, president of the IU Varsity Club\n• Bruce Jaffee, Kelley School of Business associate dean and chair of Athletics Committee\n• William Kulsrud, chairperson of the Masters of Professional Accountancy Program and chair of IUPUI Athletics Committee\n• Michael McGerr, College of Arts and Sciences associate dean for graduate education and faculty development, and member of Athletics Committee\n• Jerry Moss, alumni representative\n• Charlie Nelms, vice president for student development and diversity\n• William Perkins, professor of information systems and decision sciences and Big 10 Faculty Representative\n• Dr. Vicki Shelton, alumni representative\n• Jim Sherman, professor of psychology and co-chair of University Faculty Council\n• Meredith Suffron, student and president of IU Student Association \n• Jerry Tardy, University director, IU Alumni Association \n• Randy Tobias, alumni representative\n• James Wimbush, Kelley School chairperson of doctoral programsand member of Athletics Committee